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VOL 93: 06 September 30, 2015 torchonline.com
The independent student newspaper of St. John’s University
Annual Career
Pope Francis comes to NYC
Fair to be hosted Oct. 1; 140 organizations registered
TAYAH PAGE-HARPER Staff Writer
St. John’s will be hosting its annual Fall Career and Internship Expo on Oct. 1 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Taffner Field House. At the expo, students will be able to meet hundreds of companies with the hopes of getting an internship or a fulltime/part-time job. According to the Associate Director of Employer Events and Services Jennifer Grauso, the fall career expo is the largest fair of the year; right now, there are 140 organizations registered and there will be over 150 on the day of. “We invite every employer that has either participated in the past or has a job posting right now,” Grauso said. “We look at the organizations that hire the most of our students and where our alumni are; the more companies the better.” It is open to all majors and all types of positions, so students should be able to find at least one opening they are interested in. Due to a partnership with Campus Ministry, this year the expo will include new opportunities through service organizations. Students can decide to do a full year of service after graduation with organizations like Peace Corp and City Year. “I knew that Campus Ministry likes to promote these organizations to students and was looking for a good venue,” Grauso said. “We figured why not expose the 3000 students we expect at the fair to great organizations while helping Campus Ministry promote their service organizations.” (Continued on Page 4)
PHOTO/ FLICKR CREATIVE COMMONS
IRENE SPEZZAMONTE Staff Writer
Pope Francis and his simplicity made history by shutting New York down last Thursday and Friday. The pope’s agenda in the United States was filled with many firsts. On Thursday, he attended a joint session of the United States Congress, becoming the first pope to ever do so. Furthermore, Francis surprised everyone by speaking in English. With his strong Spanish accent, he addressed important issues. These included climate change, the plight of refugees and the fight against terrorism. “No religion is free from individual extremes” Francis said on Capitol Hill, “A delicate balance is required.”
Features
Sports
Career Services wins award for outstanding program Page 17
PHOTO/ ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
On Friday, Francis rode through Central Park in his Popemobile before delivering a 6 p.m. Mass at Madison Square Garden. St. John’s sophomore Andrew Klawiter was one of the 80,000 individuals who saw the pope in Central Park. “I am inspired by the work of the pope and his attention to social justice issues,” Klawiter said. “Seeing him come to a place like New York where poverty is an extremely pressing issue, it was nice to see the leader of 1.2 billion people caring for the least fortunate of all.” Amidst staying in line for three hours, senior Alessandra Laucella said the wait was worth it. “It was almost like a pilgrimage,” she explained. “Everyone was happy to be there. I love how the pope inspires so many with his message of God’s love.” Three of St. John’s campuses, Manhat-
tan, Queens and Staten Island organized several events throughout the day. On the Queens campus many students gathered for “Five Hours for Francis,” an event hosted by Campus Ministry at St. Thomas More church from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. At the event, students had the opportunity to experience the pope’s mass through a live stream. “The event was titled ‘Five Hours for Francis,’ because after watching the mass, we invited students to stay in the church for a few hours to share fellowship and to pray for the Holy Father, as he so often asks of us,” said Campus Minister for Music Ministry and Faith Formation Patrick Gordon. (Continued on Page 4)
Women’s soccer star Rachel Daly ties alltime goal record
Opinion
News
Taking a look into steep textbook prices
Who wants to go shopping? TJ Maxx opens on Union
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St. John’s community mourns passing of Jerome Belson Memorial service for the alumnus hoped to be held soon Lorraine London-Calderon Staff Writer A third of a second is all it took for Google to get over 100,000 articles regarding Jerome Belson, a generous benefactor to his alma mater St. John’s University. That wasn’t all he was though; a devout father, a real estate giant and a loving husband, Mr. Belson appeared to have been able to do it all. Much can be said about a man that strived to improve the lives of others regardless of the cost. “He didn’t give back because St. John's made him who he was, but because he loved the university,” said Mike Simons, a dean at the School of Law. Belson will be remembered for various things. Whether he is remembered for creating affordable housing around the city, heading an entire company that profits at millions, being a chairman or board member of various organizations, “what he wanted to be remembered for the most was his generosity,” said Simons. Belson passed away on Sept. 17 surrounded by his family. In his 90 years, he left an impact, especially on the St. John’s Queens Campus. Belson and his wife Maxine, who died in 2010, donated regularly to improve the lives of students. His donations ranged from an entire hall being named after the two, to a courtroom where Belson would sit and observe the soccer stadium that sits in honor of his son Tad.
PHOTO/ST. JOHN’S UNIVERSITY
Jerome Belson was an alumni, benefactor and trustee emeritus of St. John’s, and has been awarded, among others, the President’s Medal and the Medal of Honor by the university.
Throughout this time, he headed his own company named Belson and Associates, where they kept city housing affordable and pleasant to live in. During this time Belson also gave back to the community supporting the Doe Fund, Waterhouse Securities, the National Jewish Fund, Handicapped Boy Scouts and even the creation of New Hope Community in Loch Sheldrake. New Hope is a communi-
ty where those with intellectual disabilities can gain independence. Belson would regularly ask Simons how he could help him on a day to day basis, according to Simons. Simons saw Belson as a kind of “advisor.” Belson wanted to help in whatever way he could. The two had known each other for 20 plus years. One memory Simons recalled was
Belson simply sitting in the courtroom as students would go about their debates. He would participate and revel in his creation. The University has suffered a great loss with Belson’s passing. But as he would have wanted, we shall continue to strive for greatness so that his legacy will live on in all his projects. A memorial service for the great benefactor is hoped to be held soon.
Students and locals shop to the Maxx at new store
crystal simmons Staff Writer It was an eventful day on Union Turnpike Sunday morning, where a new addition to the St. John’s neighborhood opened its doors for the first time. T.J. Maxx, one of the nation’s largest off-price retailers, opened bright and early at eight in the morning, with customers anxiously waiting to get the very first glimpse of this new two-story addition. This new location highlights many of the amenities that other stores around the nation also feature. It has an easy layout for the customers convenience, bright and spacious dressing rooms and the store even uses a single line queue making checkout faster and less stressful. According to President of T.J. Maxx Richard Sherr, this new store features thousands of items from top designers. They also receive weekly shipments from brands coming from all over the world. Among those in the bustling community surrounding campus were eager St. John’s students excited to see the grand opening of this new T.J. Maxx location as well. Junior Sara Restrepo Cortes had many wonderful things to share about the grand opening this past weekend. “The wall on the right when you first walk in is totally glammed out and sparkly,” Restrepo Cortes said. “I had never seen
a T.J. Maxx look like that before and they had a great DJ playing music.” In addition to the thrill of shopping, there were free giveaways including a reusable bag to the first one thousand customers visiting the grand opening that weekend. There were also scavenger hunts throughout the store for gift cards that were hidden inside various types of clothes. According to Restrepo Cortes, the gift cards were strategically hidden, making them hard to locate. Not only were fellow St. John’s students engaged in the shopping aspect of the grand opening, they were also working the floors as well. Freshman Latoya Nurse was working the sales floor at this event. “It was a lot of work like lifting boxes when merchandise came in and training us for the opening of the store,” Nurse said. This new location has created and filled sixty full-time and part-time staff positions. Although a lot has been gained from this new opening, some people are sad to no longer see the Barnes & Nobles that once stood in its place. It formerly served as a place where students could go and study, as well as a great resource for reading materials. However, St. John’s students are finding the new T.J. Maxx to be a convenient alternative compared to farther shopping centers. According to sophomores Bryanna Chung and Ty-lor Pitts, this location serves as a convenient spot to shop for
PHOTO PROVIDED/CRYSTAL SIMMONS
Interior design of the recently opened T.J. Maxx in Fresh Meadows.
trendy clothes without having to venture too far from campus like they normally would have to. “Everything in here is so new and you do not have to worry about the messiness of the racks,” said Pitts. Students will be able to conveniently shop at this renowned store Sundays from
10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Monday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. “My busy schedule doesn’t let me leave campus too often,” Restrepo Cortes said. “This will have have a huge impact on my shopping. I will be there because it is super convenient.”
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Papal visit makes history throughout three-city tour (continued from page 1)
"The message that the pope shared about being people of faith in a big city resonated with our students,” he continued. "The pope encouraged us to bring the Christian message of hope to all we encounter and to always look for God and the church in the city, a message that is especially appropriate for our campus." Besides the mass, students, faculty and administrators had the opportunity to see a live broadcasting of the long line of people down Fifth Avenue, some waving Vatican or Argentinian flags. The large crowd closed down a large part of Seventh Avenue in Manhattan. The mass was delivered in Spanish at Madison Square Garden to a crowd of over 19,000 people. “God is in the city,” Francis said. He also referred to the controversial immigration situation in the United States. “In big cities, beneath the roar of traffic, beneath the ‘rapid pace of change,”
Francis said. “So many faces pass by unnoticed because they have no ‘right’ to be there, no right to be part of the city." Pope Francis reiterated the same message of integrity and hope that he has attempted to spread during the entirety of his trip to the United States. "Knowing that Jesus still walks our streets, that he is vitally a part of the lives of his people, that he is involved with us in a vast history of salvation,” Francis said. “Fills us with hope, a hope which liberates us from the forces pushing us toward isolation and lack of concern for the lives of others, for the life of our city." After Francis shared this message in his homely, he left the Garden. The excitement of many outside in seeing the pope, even for a few seconds, was tangible. Present at the mass were people of many different religious affiliations. After the conclusion of his trip in New York, Pope Francis traveled to Philadelphia to continue his three-city tour of the United States, with his excursion closing on Sunday.
PHOTO/ST.JOHN’S MEDIA TEAM
Students and faculty members take a photo while waiting for the pope’s visit at Fifth Avenue.
SJU Rock the Red aims to enhance school pride Nickool Castro Staff Writer
PHOTO/ST.JOHN’S UNIVERSITY
St. John’s student shows off free gear at last year’s I Heart SJU.
The SJU Fall Festival, Rock the Red, is coming back to St. John's starting Oct. 1. The annual tradition takes place on the Queens campus and will include events such as the Career Fair in Taffner Field House and I Heart SJU in D’Angelo Center. Rock the Red gives students the opportunity to show their Johnnie pride and participate in St. John’s programs and services. “The goal is to provide students with an opportunity to affiliate with all of the great programs and services St. John’s has to offer,” Associate Director of Campus Activities Ebony Calvin said in an email. “The objective of SJU Rock the Red is to cultivate Johnnie Pride,” she added. Calvin also explained that SJU Rock the Red started in 2006 as a homecoming series, full of events sparking St. John’s pride. The event was renamed Fall Fest. Last year, in an attempt to increase student participation, the campus activity committee renamed it SJU Rock the Red. SJU Rock the Red Fall Fest is now the official name of the initiative. This year, the festival will have approximately 46 varieties of events throughout the entire month of October. These events are hosted by sev-
eral departments and student groups. Students all around campus are eager for the festival to start. Some students say it will help them establish connections for their future while others believe these events will provide them with a break during and after midterm week. “I’m very excited about the Career and Internship Expo. I would like to see what internships they have available for my major,”said biology major Derelis Movilla. “It’s amazing how the Fall Fest not only gives you the opportunity to meet people but also strengthen your relationship with your family too! I’m looking forward to the Family Weekend!” said Daniella Barranco, a communications arts major. Daniella met one of her closest friends last year in one of the soccer games; they have been inseparable ever since. “Activities around campus makes you feel you are taking a break from classes,” Barranco added. Other students expect to see something different this year. “I would like to see a Halloween event this year, maybe a pumpkin contest or something. When I think about October Fest, I think of Halloween,” said Karina Castillo, a senior journalism major. “I’m also looking forward about the Career Fair. Hopefully, I get an internship before I graduate.” “I expect to see a lot of entertainment in the events. Something very high energy, I guess,” said junior sports management major Mike Gutierrez. On the other hand, many freshmen and transfer students are not involved on campus but will take the opportunity to get involved. “I want to know what it feels like to get involved with St. John’s. I want to learn how I can make an impact within my St. John’s community,” said Allen Mendez, a freshman legal studies major. “I think this festival will help me connect with people that could help me achieve that goal,” he added. Even though many students’ opinions differ about the Fall Festival, something is for sure, the SJU Rock the Red is expected to be another huge success.
Students to connect with companies at career fair
PHOTO/ST.JOHN’S UNIVERSITY
Students meet and network with employers at last year’s Fall Career and Internship Expo.
tayah page-harper Staff Writer
(continued from page 1)
On the day of the expo, students are strongly encouraged to dress professionally and bring copies of their résumé. Students should also bring their smartphone to use during the fair. The guide for the fair is an app called SJU Career Fair Plus. With this app, participants can see where all of the organizations are located and what they are hiring for. They can also filter the types of students and majors so undergraduate biology students can easily find what companies are looking for them. Many students are anticipating the expo with prospects of meeting new people that can help their career. Freshmen Amanda Choruy and Chyna Davis say they are mostly looking forward to the exposure they will receive.
“I’m mostly excited about making connections, learning how to network and meeting different people that can apply to my career,” Davis said. Choruy said she will use this event as an opportunity to see what she can do with her major. “I hope to get an internship that will help me get my foot in the door.” The career expo will be the only one for the fall semester. However, in the spring, there will be small, major-related fairs. “There will be four fairs, possibly five: the Business Fair, the Non-Profit and Government Fair, the Pharmacy Fair and what we call the Just In Time Fair, which is in April and that kind of captures anyone who’s still seeking,” Grauso said. The Office of Career Services encourages all students, no matter year or major, to attend the expo. With the amount of organizations attending, the opportunities are endless!
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Sigma Pi celebrates new status as chartered fraternity St. John’s chapter becomes part of 124 active divisions
Anuradha Sookdeo Staff Writer Sigma Pi finally became a chartered fraternity after approximately a year and nine months of diligently working towards meeting the various standards required in order to be recognized as a chapter. Now that chartering is complete, Sigma Pi is recognized as a formal chapter rather than a colony, by the Sigma Pi International Executive Office. After their initiation by the National Sigma Pi Executive Committee, 41 students were recognized as founding fathers of the fraternity’s Sigma Pi chapter. Fraternity brothers such as President and Grand Sage Andrew E. Morris, Executive Director Mike Aylon and the chapter’s Director Derrick Rheaume, attended the private initiation ceremony, which was followed by a private banquet held at St. John’s on Sept. 19. Andrew E. Morris, the grand sage of Sigma Pi, noted that the day of the cer-
PHOTO PROVIDED/ANURADHA SOOKDEO
Newly chartered Sigma Pi poses for a photo during their celebratory ceremony.
emony was a special day for St. John’s, since the fraternity is now official and has attained a high honor which entails many responsibilities as well as rewards. Founding Member and Alumni Chairperson of Sigma Pi Sal Sherman agrees. “The fraternity’s journey from colonization to being chartered had been an
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incredible yet challenging one. We were able to set out goals, beat the odds, achieve those goals and above all, work together and build a stronger brotherhood,” Sherman said. St. John’s joined the ranks of more than 124 active chapters of Sigma Pi, an organizations that has over 100,000 alumni and
6,000 plus current undergraduates. “Our brotherhood strives to produce men who can be leaders and better not only St. John’s but the wider community,” continued Sherman. As the fraternity continues to embrace their new respectable status, the members plan to continue old traditions as well as create new events which students can look forward to within the coming school years. The brothers plan on continuing to volunteer to serve those in need, participate in charity events, coordinate social events and much more. Founding Father LaQuan Martinez is excited over the fraternity’s new chartering and expressed the deep-rooted bond he carries with his brothers. “They are young men who embody the qualities of leadership, loyalty, fellowship, service and dedication and who sure can be the life of any event!” he enthusiastically said. “Sigma Pi is that lifelong team in which you: 1) can be yourself, 2) you are never bored and alone, 3) you never stop succeeding and 4) you never run short on Xbox challengers.”
Years later, annual service day continues to highlight mission
Students speak out on U.S. handling of Syrian refugee crisis PHOTO/LUCY PESCE
carolina rodriguez Staff Writer
Syria is located in the Middle East between Lebanon, Iran, Jordan, Iraq and Israel. The Al-Assad family has dictated the once beautiful and culturally enriched country since the 1970s. When the Arab Spring, a civilian uprising in protest of the many conflicts in the Arab world, took place, it dismantled many authoritarian regimes, like those in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya. In Syria, different people of distinct ethnicities and religious groups fought each other in varying coalitions. ISIS took full advantage of this country in crisis and entered the chaos with its own goal in mind, to build a totalitarian Islamic State. The Syrian population has since been trapped between the Al-Assad regime, various rebel groups and Islamic extremists. This outbreak of war has led to unlivable conditions in Syria. UNICEF report-
2002 University Service Day volunteers participate in service by making lunches.
ed a record death toll of 1,600 people, including children. “I can’t even believe that this is something that’s going on in our world today,” said St. John’s student Seresa Matias. Most Syrian refugees have fled to Jordan and Lebanon. Many are now attempting the dangerous trip across the Mediterranean Sea in hopes of finding a better life in Europe. “The United States should accept all refugees,” suggests freshman Abby Murray. The Wall Street Journal reported that the United States will now allow 100,000 refugees to enter the country annually in an effort to serve as an aide to Europe. According to the United Nations, there will be 4.27 million Syrian refugees by the end of this year. Student Jesse Conrad believes that more action should be taken in order to help refugees. “This is the time for our world to come together and be compassionate. These people need our help,” Conrad said. “Who are we not to help them?”
amanda umpierrez News Editor
This year, about 2,000 students, faculty members and alumni participated in University Service Day to give back and reflect on the Vincentian mission of St. John’s. However, back in 2002, the first University Service Day only comprised of 123 volunteers, a large difference from the number today. “The idea was to have ten groups of ten volunteers to go to ten locations and do service,” said Executive Director for Mission Lucy Pesce. University Service Day was first founded in 2002 by the Service Opportunity Council at St. John’s, with the hope of encouraging students to engage in service on a collegiate level. According to Pesce, while many students take part in service in high school today, that wasn’t so much the case years ago. “In 2002 it wasn’t as common to do that, so for us it was a way to reflect on our mission and to also celebrate the feast of St. Vincent de Paul,” Pesce said.
The feast of St. Vincent de Paul occurs on the third Saturday of every September, and is the reason why University Service Day is always during the end of the month. “University Service Day is closest to the feast day in order to celebrate the Vincentian mission,” Pesce explained. David Pierre, a St. John’s alumnus who now works as the senior assistant director of the Office of Admissions, remembers partaking in the event in 2002. “It was definitely one of my most favorite service events,” he said. Pierre was a sophomore when the first University Service Day was established, and participated with the women’s track and field team due to his position as manager of the team. 13 years later, University Service Day has led close to 2,000 community members of St. John’s to help others throughout the five boroughs. “To see the service day evolve, it’s very interesting, very fulfilling,” Pierre said.
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St. John’s students find inspiration at start of Founder’s Week Bryan Stevenson speaks about past experiences that shaped views
TORCH PHOTO/JACQUELINE PRIESLER
TORCH PHOTO/AMANDA UMPIERREZ
Bryan Stevenson spoke to the St. John’s community on issues regarding race and social justice using his real-life experiences.
Second-year law students involved in St. John’s Coalition for Social Justice speak and interact with Stevenson.
amanda umpierrez News Editor
of helpfulness. “All I could say was ‘I’m sorry.’ I’m sorry I’m just a law student. I’m sorry I don’t know anything about civil law…,” he remembered. Once Stevenson mentioned the news he traveled to tell, the man beamed up and thanked him, for being there and because now he would be able to see his family. The two spoke for more than three hours, and learned that they were both the same exact age, in year, month and day. From that day on, Stevenson pledged to focus on racial injustice issues. “It showed me the power of proximity,” he said. In his speech, Stevenson noted that society is educated on a narrative of fear, anger and racial difference. He spoke about how society tends to commemorate matters that have not quite been solved. “I get worried when people talk about civil rights because it’s so celebratory,” he said. “We will not recover from this legacy, from this infection until we talk about it and deal with it, and we haven’t done that,” he further explained.
“Thank you,” was all Bryan Stevenson heard from the man sitting across from him. Amidst the handcuffs on his wrists, the chains tied to his waist and the shackles bounded to his ankles, the man could only fixate on what was just said to him: that he would not be executed at anytime in the next year. This experience was only one of the many Stevenson used to express his ideas on social justice to the St. John’s community on Sept. 21. Each of these memories would come to shape and inspire Stevenson’s beliefs, views and his mission to serve victims of injustice, specifically inmates on death row. Each of Stevenson’s tenets focused on a specific story, whether it was about a former client, or a past childhood memory. Rachel Houle, a second-year law student and member of the Coalition for Social Justice at St. John’s, appreciated Stevenson’s concentration on different experiences to express his outlooks.
“The way he ties these stories, they’re not characters, they’re people,” she expressed. “He doesn’t get up there and give you a bunch of statistics. He humanizes them.” Stevenson emphasized four points he anticipated St. John’s students to reflect on from his discussion; proximity, how to change the narrative taught to us, hope and the need to pursue “uncomfortable things.” “When you do uncomfortable things, when you get proximate to the problems, when you have to be hopeful in the face of hopelessness and despair, it will break you,” he said. “But, there is a power in brokenness.” He spoke about his involvement with a human services organization providing legal service to death row inmates, an experience that would make him realize what his ambitions for the future would be. His first task was to visit a death row inmate in prison, and to tell him that he would not be executed in the upcoming year. When he arrived, he saw the man belted in chains, shackles and handcuffs, and immediately began to apologize for his lack
St. John’s sophomore Morgan Popel, agrees with Stevenson’s view. “We celebrate our accomplishments, but still so many issues are unaddressed,” she explained. Maurisa Fraser, the vice president of activities for Haraya, concurs with Stevenson, but also addressed society’s confusion on where to start. However, she points that Stevenson’s speech helps to develop a new sense of direction. “We want to change the system, but we don’t know how. He gives us that how-to, that head start to being the change you want to see,” she said. Stevenson ended his discussion by encouraging St. John’s students to focus on what their interests and beliefs are. “Evaluate what you are going to do,” he emboldened. For law student Ian King, Stevenson’s speech helped rejuvenatae his interest in law. “He represents, at the least forms, the hopefulness that he was talking about,” he said. “It left me feeling more hopeful about my future.”
Departments serve as foundation for Founder’s Week and more Talia Tirella Co-Editor-In-Chief The Bryan Stevenson lecture left students thinking about their ability to be an impetus for justice and change, but there was more to the preparation behind the event than students might have been aware of. Joanne Carroll, an associate professor in the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, explained that various departments helped to prepare for Stevenson’s lecture. Those departments are also planning a lecture series that will continue until the end of the 2015-16 school year. These departments included the Division of Student Affairs, the Office of the Provost, the Vincentian Center for Church and Society, Student Government, Inc.
and the Ronald H. Brown Center for Civil Rights and Economic Development. The departments worked together to discuss how the event would be planned, as well as how it would be funded. According to Carroll, several of the groups contributed funds for the event. Carroll said the Stevenson lecture will serve as the first event, not only for Founder’s Week, but also in a series of lectures to be held throughout the year. These lectures will focus on timely events such as racial tension and social justice, and Carroll said the lectures are likely to spark student interest. “Students marched on campus [back in the spring] for the movement for Mike Brown, and these events will be really important to them and they will really listen,” Carroll said. Carroll mentioned one of Stevenson’s tenets, the idea of being uncomfortable,
which he mentions in his lectures. She hopes that the lecture topics will serve as a catalyst for discussion and said that, while it is not desirable to be uncomfortable, we should listen to Stevenson. “He says you have to be uncomfortable to bring change, and that’s what we are trying to do. We’re trying to confront the truth; we’re trying to build more understanding by holding these events,” Carroll said. The next lecture that will be held as part of the line-up of yearly events will feature Lori Pompa and Tyrone Werts from the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program. Carroll explained that this lecture will introduce the Inside-Out program to the St. John’s community. The program brings college students and incarcerated men and women together for classes and interaction, and seeks to “deepen the conversation about and transform our approaches
to understanding crime, justice, freedom, inequality and other issues of social concern,” according to a flier provided by Carroll. Carroll explained that most of the time, the incarcerated individuals can earn college credits by participating in the program. She said that college students benefit from seeing the correctional system and its effects firsthand. Carroll also said that there is a chance that a chapter of the Inside-Out program will start at St. John’s in the near future. If you are interested in learning about the calendar of events planned for this lecture series, events will be added on the St. John’s website as soon as they are finalized. Additional reporting contributed by Amanda Umpierrez.
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Staff Editorial board XCIII TALIA TIRELLA Co-Editor-in-Chief JENNY CHEN Co-Editor-in-Chief KYLE FITZGERALD Managing Editor CHEYANNE GONZALES General Manager AMANDA UMPIERREZ News Editor STEPHEN ZITOLO Sports Editor LIVIA PAULA Features Editor JASMINE IMANI DAVIS Entertainment Editor SUZANNE CIECHALSKI Opinion Editor
Flames of the Torch This year’s career fair is expected to have 136 employers attending the event in Taffner Field House. Although some of the Torch members (who aren’t just journalism/communications majors!) find that year after year, there aren’t any companies or booths of interest for our chosen career paths, the career fair does target the majority of the student population. In this way, several students do look forward to the career fair as an annual helpful resource. The career fair is a great opportunity for students to find a job or internship. The University’s convenient location offers various opportunities for students who are pursuing a specific career. We find the career fair to be a valuable aid when following most career goals. We want to give you a few pointers in approaching these booths. When you looking for a job or internship, you have to be aware that you might not get the job that you want. Keep your options open. When entering Taffner this Thursday, Oct. 1, go to the booth that you would normally walk past. You should take this as a strong mustdo: dress in appropriate business attire. Before anything comes out of your mouth, before your hands join for a shake, your level of professionalism comes through in the way you are dressed. The school will either send out or advertise to the students that an event is either business attire or business casual. If you don’t know the difference between business attire and business casual and are curious to know, YouTube videos, articles and blog posts are a great help when finding that perfect, appropriate outfit. Be aware of your surroundings when you’re at the career fair; you want to be prepared for the opportunities open to you.
If you want to know more about the career fair, what employers will be there and how to prepare for it, you can go online to MySJU, follow Career Services on Twitter at @GetHIREDStJohns or download the SJU Career Fair Plus App. The app will pull up a list with menus titled ‘Employers,’ ‘Fair Map,’ ‘Events,’ ‘Announcements,’ and ‘Career Fair 101’ that will give you all the information you need. At the bottom of the list there is ‘Support,’ ‘Fairs,’ and ‘Updates’ that allow you to contact the people behind the app and keep you informed throughout the week leading up to the career fair. The app is very user-friendly and self-explanatory. The most important thing when approaching an employer is to be yourself. Employers are always looking for passionate individuals to be prospective employees. Dress appropriately for the occasion and be confident. The employers are aware that you’re college students and though the experience is minimal, a good first impression can go a long way. Remember, at one time they were in the same position you are in: seeking an opportunity to learn more in a career that you’re pursuing. The career fair is designed for students to explore the possibilities, gain knowledge and prepare for what it will be like when they travel beyond the gates of the University to seek employment. It’s a learning experience—this will teach you to understand what different employers in different fields look for in their applicants. Every year, the career fair has fantastic results and enormous feedback from employers and students. Don’t be afraid to test the waters and dip your toes into something you never thought you would do. Go to the career fair this Thursday.
A small aquarium for a big fish and his buddy:
The GOP Debate
IRENE SPEZZAMONTE Staff Writer The pilot fish is one of the ocean’s most common fish. It usually enjoys the world’s warm, tropical waters, where it attaches itself to the ocean’s larger predators, usually sharks. It creates a reciprocal relationship with the shark, following it everywhere. By always staying together, the pilot fish protects itself from predators and the shark protects itself from parasites. A couple, composed of a pilot fish and a shark, was seen on Sept. 16, 2015. No, we are not talking about Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. We are talking about Donald Trump and Carly Fiorina. Mr. Trump, the big shark with blonde hair, has been swimming in the GOP party since June, moving his 50 million dollar lips without any concern. Alternatively, Mrs. Fiorina has been thinking of a good response to Mr. Trump’s superficial comments about her looks for weeks, making sure that this time her hair would look better than his. “I think women all over this country heard very clearly what Trump said,” Mrs. Fiorina boomed during the debate on CNN. Too late, Mrs. Fiorina. If the country heard very clearly what Mr. Trump said, the country saw very clearly what you tried to be: the shark. It is too late to decide to be the shark now.
Those born as a pilot fish will always be a pilot fish. Mrs. Fiorina, and the other candidates as well, will have to continue living off the scraps of an uncontrollable candidate their own unoriginality has created. Mrs. Fiorina’s response has crowned her the new, feminist activist of the Republican Party. She, exactly like a loyal pilot fish, is now second in the polls, head-to-head with her shark, Mr. Trump. “I think she’s got a beautiful face and I think she’s a beautiful woman,” Mr. Trump promptly replied. But, we all know what he meant: I appreciate your effort, but I’m still getting all of the public attention. Mr. Trump is more than happy to keep this contest in the domain of a beauty pageant. He has some experience in that field, at least. Even Chris Christie seemed to be bothered by this consistent love-hate relationship. “You’re both successful people. Congratulations,” Mr. Christie said, “But stop this childish back-and-forth between the two of you.” Maybe, by the end of the race, Mr. Trump will take Mrs. Fiorina out for dinner and she will finally enjoy an entire meal and not only the leftovers. Pay attention America, the sea is full of candidates and not all of them are sharks and pilot fish. “Look at that face. ‘Would anyone vote for that?’” There were 11 candidates on that stage, and you are completely free to look at the face you prefer.
PHOTO/WIKIPEDIA
PHOTO/FLICKR COMMONS
EDITORIAL POLICY Editorials are the opinions of the Editorial Board of the TORCH. Columns are the opinions of the author(s) and are not necessarily those of the TORCH.
Opinions expressed in editorials, columns, letters or cartoons are not necessarily those of the student body, faculty or administrations of St. John’s University.
TO CONTRIBUTE Mail letters to: The TORCH, St. John’s University 8000 Utopia Parkway, Jamaica, NY 11439 Submit letters via email to: torcheic@gmail.com
All are welcome to contribute to the Torch. Please include your full name, year and college (or department). Letters have a limit of 500 words and may be edited for content, grammar or space. Unverifiable or anonymous letters will not be published. All letters are subject to the approval of the Editorial Board of the TORCH.
Vincent and Friends 8
FR. PATRICK J. GRIFFIN, CM Special to the Torch
In a journey around the world, you would find four major Vincentian universities: Adamson in Manila, DePaul in Chicago, Niagara in Niagara Falls and, of course, our SJU. If you were to visit each of these institutions, you would see the same outdoor statue. At SJU, this work sits at the base of the outside stairs running from the upper level of Marillac to the side of Marillac Terrace. Almost hidden in the bushes, a little search to locate the artwork rewards the effort. The statue is life-size and presents St. Vincent de Paul sitting on a bench, talking to a male and female student. In all the locations, the only difference in each rendering is that the students at each campus university’s sweatshirts. For me, these statues call to mind a favorite story of St. Vincent. Speaking about preaching, he maintains:
“If I could not preach every day, eh bien, I’d do it twice a week! If I couldn’t give long sermons, I’d try to give short ones; if, again, people did not understand me at those short ones, what would prevent me from speaking plainly and simply to those good people in the way I’m speaking to you right now, gathering them around me, as you are?” (CCD 11 #100, p. 123) St. Vincent insists that whatever his stage in life, he would continue to speak and teach about the Gospel. When his voice was no longer powerful enough to preach in large churches, he would go to smaller ones. When that was too much, he would simply sit somewhere and allow people to gather around him. I imagine the statue of St. Vincent in that way. He makes himself available to whoever is interested in a little conversation. He does not need to teach the great truths of the faith. Simply sharing on matters that are significant for the other would suffice for him. The image compels and attracts. The students have St. Vincent’s attention. His gentleness and approachability emerge readily. I wonder about myself that way. St. Vincent has hundreds of quotable
lines. Which of them might he offer to young people in the midst of their journeys? Perhaps, this one: “Love is creative to infinity.” (VdP, CCD 11, L.012, p. 131) His words of hope and encouragement also challenge and comfort. Things do not need to be the way that they are. The way in which one responds in love to the circumstance of the moment or the service demanded enables original contributions and unique directions. As difficult as things can get, solutions are always possible. (St. Paul would say: “Where sin abounds, grace super-abounds” [Rom 9:20].) Of all the attractive elements in the character and faith of St. Vincent, a central one rests in this ability to see beyond the moment and to marshal people and resources in new ways. I can hear him offering that inspiration to the SJU student (or faculty or staff or administrator) in intimate and personal conversation. Our statue can remind us of that gift during our Founder’s Week.
The 7 line’s extension: taking life one stop further ABHISHEK JOSHI Staff Writer
“You know, while you were playing that just now, I had the craziest fantasy like I could rise up and float right down the end of this cornet, right through here, through these valves, right along this tube and come right up against your lips and give you a kiss.”
By: Nicole Marino
On Sept. 13, the 7 and 7 express train lines received the much-needed and long-awaited extension to the Manhattan section of the famed Flushing line. The newest stop of the 7 lines is now the 34th Street-Hudson Yards stop. The stop, though arguably the most beautiful on the 7 line, has had mixed reactions since its opening to the general public. It is expected to make the journey to the west side of Midtown Manhattan more convenient than it has ever been. The moment my 7 train pulled up at the 34th Street station, I went back to the memory of when I had to walk from 7th Avenue to the Javits Convention Centre for the New York Auto Show and how I had to push my way around the crowd to get there. This time around, my walk to Javits was less painful, even though I knew that there were way more people there. Not to mention, this station was a bit prettier than the walk between the four avenues. The one thing that stands above beauty, though, is functionality and access. Even though the new stop provides great access to many places and the M34, the amount of time my train took to get there from Times Square was pretty much equal to what it would have taken me to walk there. My friends too, have complained about how the speed of the train slows down significantly as it is about to approach the stop. This time, I was not in a rush. However, being delayed by 25 minutes of my antic-
ipated journey time isn’t really my favorite thing. My question for the MTA is: what is this lack of speed about? Another thing I observed was the grandeur of the 34th Street-Hudson Yards stop.
“The one thing that stands above beauty, though, is functionality and access.” This stop serves as a welcome and goodbye for a lot of tourists who come to the west side; but, the station is way larger than it has to be given the fact that it only serves one line of the MTA subway trains. In the end, it only has two platform lines to serve without any direct shuttle access from either Times Square or Grand Central, which is where the majority of the crowd at the stop will be coming down from. As an MTA customer, I was quite satisfied with my journey to 34th Street, apart from the delay. It was easy to navigate, clean, quiet and pretty (given that I took the train from Times Square). I hope that in the future the train will stand as one of the most convenient connections to the west side and possibly to the state of New Jersey since there is a possibility of a further extension being made. So, if you are planning on riding the 7 train to the last stop anytime soon, do it before it loses its exclusivity and, especially , before the rats learn of its existence.
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The fundamental problem behind your textbooks Price of books inconsistent, continue to break the bank
MILES KOPLEY Contributing Writer Last semester, I took a trip down to the St. John’s University Campus Bookstore in search of a textbook assigned to my class about Justinian Law in ancient Rome. After a good amount of digging, I found the textbook. It was only available in a two-book box set, but the other book was completely useless to me and would set me back about 70 dollars. Throughout the semester, I cracked the book twice: once for my midterm essay and once for my final essay. The resale value of my 70 dollar box set on Justinian Law, after being only opened twice? Absolutely nothing. The bookstore declined to buy the book back. While it’s easy to point fingers at the University Bookstore for what looks to be a racketeering operation, the root of this frustration felt by many college students actually runs a lot deeper than just on-campus book sales. The fact is academic text publishers don’t operate in a free market and instead are capable of controlling prices and gouging students as a result. Five publishers–Pearson, McGraw-Hill, Thomson Gale, Wiley and Houghton-Mifflin-Harcourt–control roughly 80 percent of the textbook market. If you’re reading this and have a textbook on you, take a look at its publishing information. There’s a good chance it came from one of these five companies. The bookstore isn’t the place trying to rip you off so much as it is the book publishers who know that you cannot
get the book through anybody else except them. Over the past 30 years, academic text prices have skyrocketed almost 800 percent. This rate of inflation is so severe that it more than doubles housing inflation in the United States over the same period, including the housing bubble and crisis of 2008. According to the website ATTN:, the National Association of College Stores reported that 77 cents of every dollar made from the purchase of a textbook (more than three quarters of every dollar) went back to the publisher from where the book originated. Of that 77 percent, the publisher makes an 18 percent profit, meaning my 70 dollar textbook, used twice, made them a little under 13 dollars. The remainder of the money is claimed to be scattered into a variety of functional areas the publisher requires, such as marketing, manufacturing and research. Sometimes this may actually mean that the money is sincerely spent in those areas; other times, it may not amount to as much as you’d think. Publishers have been notorious for making minor, insignificant changes that require no research or serious financing at all, only to rebrand the book as a new edition. This new edition, of course, will come with a steeper retail price than its predecessor to cover the “production costs” entailed with its release. Moreover, the problem still looming is that five companies control the vast majority of the market. It’s remniscent of the Medicare industry, only without insurance or other broad financial incentives to help keep costs down for the American student. With one large company contracted to produce one se-
Walker’s walks out on GOP HUNTER RABINOWITZ Contributing Writer
Looking wearily into the camera last week, Governor Scott Walker (R-Wis.) announced that he is ending his bid for the 2016 presidential election. While momentarily reaching numbers in the polls as high as Trump’s and Carson’s, Walker’s indecisiveness on basic social issues such as marriage equality drove his campaign to rubble. Thanks to Walker and Governor Rick Perry (R-Texas), who ended his campaign a week earlier, Republican voters now have 14 candidates to choose from. These elections have become all about the show. While many people might have not been aware of Governor Walker in the wake of Donald Trump’s weekly stand-up routine or Ted Cruz’s weekly sermons, looking past the rhetoric tells the best story as to why Walker might be the best candidate to have dropped out. In 2011, Walker and Wisconsin Republican state senators passed a law that would strictly limit collective bargaining, a vital power held by labor unions. In spite of mass protests and even occupation of the Milwaukee state courthouse, Walker’s use of dirty politics assured his power in the state. This law dreadfully cuts the power of workers and in a post-2008 world; the last thing we need is less power to the workers.Though his rhetoric wasn’t crazy, his actions as governor make him the wrong person to be running for the presidency.
Does that make the other candidates better? Not necessarily. Looking back on their actions would show who they really are. Every person campaigning as of now is running on a party platform and, to sound more conservative, they’ll do anything to appeal to the party. Even the neo-Reaganite Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), passed a law which protected abortion in the case of rape and incest, despite claiming he’s anti-abortion in all cases during the first televised debates. In order to clearly see the path on which these 14 candidates would lead us, follow the path in which they’ve started, rather than where they’re saying they want us to go. As for Democrats, who are currently being lead in the polls by Hillary Clinton, a former senator plagued by scandal and an FBI investigation, it might be equally important for us to look at our alternative options on the right as well.
ries of editions, there is no fear of competitors underselling the big guys on the market. In all practicality, textbook prices can be driven up simply because corporate feels like it, a fact pretty evident in the gross over inflation of book prices in the past 30 years. The result of this elitist publishing circle is the obvious series of consequences that nearly every college student comes across during their experience in higher education. Students will sometimes do anything to avoid the ridiculous costs of textbooks, including illegally photocopying one or refusing to buy it altogether, risking their grades in the process. When the cost of textbook have risen to the point where a student is willing to gamble their education or their academic integrity to forgo them, it’s time we take a step back and look at the cause of all of this insanity.
A note to freshmen
KATEY CLIFFORD Contributing Writer
Now that the Red Carpet Welcome is over and all of the excitement of starting a new year is fizzling, the freshmen are finally beginning to find their way around here. I’d like to warmly welcome all of the new students to St. John’s. We’re all back to square one. As we’ve heard so many say, it’s a fresh start. Even so, it’s a month into school and I already know it’s not going to be easy. I’m sure that’s the same thought process of a lot of incoming students. High school was a breeze: lunch was always available quickly and cheaply, the teachers were captivating without fail, there were no long and hard commutes or having to live far from home. It’s clear this year is going to be a wake-up call for many students, including myself.
As we’ve heard so many say, it’s a fresh start.
PHOTO/WIKIPEDIA
PHOTO/WIKIPEDIA
I’ve never had to wait 20 minutes to buy a sandwich or 30 minutes to buy a cup of coffee. Waiting three or more hours for my next class to start was never an issue before. College is a totally different world from high school. I chose to go to St. John’s based on its high academic standards. It’s ranked 153 out of thousands of national universities,
making it a top school. I chose to come here because of the beautiful campus that I’ve heard so much about. The gorgeous landscaping and design are incredible considering the cornered location of the school around the ever-busy Utopia Parkway and Union Turnpike. I have no regrets in choosing St. John’s as my college. I’m proud to be a student here. I love that there are so many options for lunch. I love the fact that, while the weather is still nice, I’m able to sit outside and soak up the sun. I love the lulls during the day that give us time to breathe. At the same time, I recognize that it’s going to be challenging to keep up with work and still be social with everyone I’ve come to meet so far. I’ve met many people facing the same problem. I think any freshman who is still nervous about life at St. John’s should try to relax. Try joining a club to be more involved. There were so many opportunities at the Activities Fair that are still open to join. If club life isn’t for you, try talking to anyone - I mean that. Everyone in my experience here is incredibly friendly and open for good conversation. As a new student, there’s really nothing to worry about. The further we go into the semester, the more familiar life here will become. I understand juggling papers and studying is difficult, but I’m glad that St. John’s can become my home away from home. If you still don’t feel that way, the end of the semester is only three months away. Welcome Class of 2019.
Lifestyle
10
“What a Time to be Alive” indeed
RIAN SMITH Contributing Writer
The surprise collaboration between October’s very own, Drake, and Freebandz founder, Future Hendricks, dropped “What a Time to be Alive” on Sunday night under Cash Money Records recording label. “What a time to be Alive,” the LP, was produced by Metro Boomin and
mixed by Gadget & Noah “40” Shebib. The album has 11 songs and no features. Drake announced the collaboration on Instagram by posting a picture of the diamond-encrusted album cover, a stock image purchased via Shuttershock, as well as a picture mashing-up the OVO Sound logo and Future’s Freebandz emblem, an obvious artistic illustration of the combination of the two talents and musical styles. Drake and Future seemed to be quite the unlikely pair for a whole project together, but the results couldn’t have been any more epic. Most people received a taste of the two together on Dirty Sprite 2 in Future’s hit song “Where Ya At,” featuring Drake. The two are practically polar opposites. Future’s hazy-codeine based rap style to Drake’s clearly worded, poetic and often-egotistical rap style doesn’t seem like a match made in heaven upon first glance, but we were mistaken. The duo had their best match up when they seemed to swap personalities and im-
personate each other’s style in “Diamonds Dancing” and “Scholarships” on “What a Time.” They met in the middle generally sticking to the topic of showcasing how far they’ve come and how they’ve enjoyed their new-found wealth. The dynamic duo mimic a yin and yang balance and, in turn, the collaboration was praised by #Futurehive on Twitter and Drake fans worldwide. Drake owes a big thanks to Meek Mill for some of the hype surrounding his already popular name after the explosive tweets Mill directed at Drake. Meek Mill tweeted: “Stop comparing drake to me too.... He don’t write his own raps! That’s why he ain’t tweet my album because we found out!”. Mill’s bold remarks suggesting that Drake used a ghostwriter for his lyrics caused Drake to react with not a tweet, but multiple singles dissing Meek Mill in response. The series of events that took place between the two rappers only brought more hype to Drizzy’s name.
Drake’s new singles and songs on “What a Time” make it clear that Drake did not use a ghostwriter. Mill hoped this allegation would lead to Mr. OVO’s downfall, but Drake assures it only made him stronger. Meanwhile, Future is quite sensational, as of late, after the success of his third album “Dirty Sprite 2 (DS2),” which was released on iTunes July 17. DS2 was No. 1 album on Billboard’s 200 charts. Future’s album sold 147,000 copies, doubling the 53,000 copies he sold of his sophomore album “Honest.” What a Time’s predicted album sales show early estimates of an outstanding 500,000 units. In regards to Future’s obsession with lean, codeine and actavis cough syrup he clearly paints the purple-dipped sky that Future is aiming for and in the process of taking over. If Future continues to make power moves with big names like: Drake, Kanye and Lil Wayne, this surely will not be the last time Future sees No.1 on Billboards Top 200 chart.
Lana Del Rey brings her fans on a blissful “Honeymoon”
JONATHAN MANARANG Staff Writer
Over five years since she dropped her debut LP and her birth name, Lizzy Grant, the meteoric rise of Lana Del Rey has been shrouded in mythos and has been wildly unpredictable yet exhilarating. From the
monumental “Young and Beautiful” from “The Great Gatsby” soundtrack to the remix of “Summertime Sadness,” giving the singer a glimpse of major Top 40 Radio airplay, the singer has been making incredible strides. While her lyricism may dance on a fine line of risqué themes, there is a point to be made in the important distinction between the person and the character that is Lana Del Rey. On “Ultraviolence,” we saw Del Rey taking her hyper-romanticism to new, destructive heights, underscored by her work with Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys, and giving a completely different sonic edge to the record. Laden with major potential hits, the album itself showed the singer in a far different light than her initial releases. With “Honeymoon,” there is a return to form. She abandons some of the more experimental production work she took with “Ultraviolence,” ditching twangy guitars for the minimalist, and instead having jazzy, string compositions
float beneath her smooth, breathy voice. Earlier this year she released several singles to give the fans a little taste for the record, but the album has a far more cohesive nature, making it better experienced in sequence. Each track reads more as a vignette, going into the life of Del Rey and weaving through her love and loss. The singles are but a brushstroke on the massive portrait of a melodrama she paints on “Honeymoon.” The record begins with a title track that has a Bond-esque composition, where Del Rey sets the image of sunbleached polaroids of the West Coast with lines like “We could cruise to the blues/Wilshire Boulevard if we choose/Or whatever you wanna do/We make the rules.” With her muted palette of dramatic strings, the musical end of the record is far more inhibited with Del Rey occasionally making use of jazzy horn sections and trap beats like “Born to Die.” Although limiting her musical references may have restricted her potential
Lana Del Rey performing her new album, “Honeymoon” at the Governors Ball, representing her city, in June of 2015.
and may have been a point of criticism on her major label debut, on “Honeymoon,” it works more in her favor as a fresh means to provide a backdrop to the drama that centers around her life of Lana Del Rey. Lyrically, Del Rey makes a major development, as we see her transform from the tragic figure trumped by her romantic interests to a figure who is reclaiming her life and independence. On her self-titled LP, in the track “Put Me In A Movie,” she sings, “Lights, camera, action/You know I can’t make it on my own.” Though from her latest release, in the song “High By the Beach,” she commands “Lights, camera, acción/I’ll do it on my own/Don’t need your money, money/To get me what I want,” which takes on a much more different tone. With “Honeymoon,” Del Rey takes the listener along a cinematic journey that reads less as a daytime soap opera and more as an experiential narrative that digs into the world of philosophical concepts and lavish Hollywood excess.
TORCHPHOTO/JONATHAN MANARANG
11
SUZIE’S INFINITE PLAYLIST 1. “Gypsy” by Fleetwood Mac (1982)
6. “Emotion” by Bee Gees (1978)
When most people think of Fleetwood Mac, the first song that comes to mind is usually “Go Your Own Way.” But, “Gypsy” is a true gem written by Stevie Nicks. Inspired by her relationship with Lindsey Buckingham before Fleetwood Mac, while also being a tribute to her best friend whom she lost to leukemia, she pours out her innermost feelings in “Gypsy.” As the song ends with her crying out, “I still see your bright eyes, bright eyes and it all comes down to you,” you could feel the pain and the yearning that Nicks felt as she dealt with the loss of her friend and the memories of her tumultuous relationship with Buckingham.
Just when you thought the disco was finished... it survives! Actually, the Bee Gees, while famous for their upbeat disco tunes such as “Stayin’ Alive” and “More Than a Woman” have a totally different sound here. The typical fast-paced and upbeat sound of the Bee Gees is gone in this song that is about broken hearts. Throughout the song we are reminded of the pain of losing another who has already moved on. Though, while entirely broken, the Gibb brothers concede, “but you’ve got a part of someone else, you’ve got to find your shining star.” In other words, sometimes we can’t have who or what we love, but we all deserve some sort of happiness.
2. “Suck It And See” by Arctic Monkeys (2011) The quiet, slow sound of Alex Turner’s voice sends chills down my spine no matter the song, however “Suck It And See” hits me particularly hard. Turner croons this relatable tune about desperately wanting another person - but not just any person, the person who draws you in, makes your head spin and ultimately leaves you in a daze. The simple sounding strum of the guitar pairs perfectly with the heavy lyrics as he reminds us of how easily we accept pain when we are so enamored by another: “Be cruel to me, ‘cause I’m a fool for you.” 3. “The Way You Look Tonight” by Frank Sinatra (1961) To take a break from the heavier songs, a Frank Sinatra tune will never fail to put a smile on my face. Although originally performed by Fred Astaire in the film “Swing Time,” Sinatra’s rendition of “The Way You Look Tonight” is a timeless classic. The cheerful sound of the instrumentals pulls you in to listen to Old Blue Eyes sing of how the qualities of his true love’s “breathless charm,” among other things, touch his “foolish heart.” While the world remains cold, he will always have this moment to reflect back on to reignite the spark within him.
7. “Just The Way You Are” by Billy Joel (1977) Starting off soft, “Just The Way You Are” erupts into a beautiful song characterized by a killer saxophone solo (Billy Joel’s soft, yet powerful, voice doesn’t hurt either). In a world that constantly pressures us to change ourselves, Joel sings of how change is the last thing that he wants. Opening the song with, “don’t go changing to try and please me, you never let me down before,” it’s immediately evident that you are in for a song that will make your heart melt. 8. “Big Yellow Taxi” by Joni Mitchell (1970) “Big Yellow Taxi” is an absolute classic song sung by Joni Mitchell and covered by tons of musicians, from Bob Dylan to Counting Crows. Mitchell’s sweet voice over the sound of the guitar reminds us of how important our environment is and how we are slowly destroying all of the beauty that surrounds us. “Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone,” she sings. Not only is this song catchy, but its lyrics also hold so much meaning in terms of us, as people, learning to accept and care for our environment before it all disappears.
4. “September” by Earth, Wind and Fire (1978)
9. “Crystals” by Of Monsters and Men (2015)
It’s time for a little Wednesday afternoon fever! This classic disco hit by Earth, Wind and Fire is easily recognizable as it’s constantly used in pop culture. Though lyrically simplistic, “September” is arguably one of the greatest disco hits of its time, with a beat that you cannot help but dance to. Disco in general is totally exuberant and makes you want to jump up and dance the night away, but this tune in particular hits the listener hard with its upbeat tempo and cheerful lyrics that constantly remind us of the excitement of love.
Of Monsters and Men is undoubtedly one of my favorite bands of all time. Just the sound of the percussion in “Crystals” makes you feel powerful as the lyrics tell of growing up and out of the chains that bind you. It goes, “I know I’ll whither so peel away the bark, ‘cause nothing grows when it is dark.” Powerful the whole way through, “Crystals” tells the story of changes and growing to love oneself when you have changed, or fixed, the person that you are in order to become a better version of yourself.
5. “Let Your Love Grow Tall” by Passion Pit (2009)
9. “The Hurricane” by Bob Dylan (1976)
All of Passion Pit’s songs have a unique, indie-pop sort of sound characterized by deep lyrics that contrast the excitement of the beat. “Let Your Love Grow Tall” is no different, as its beat is happy while its lyrics are powerful. My favorite line is, “quiet minds don’t know their worth.” Michael Angelako’s struggle with bipolar disorder is evident in much of Passion Pit’s work. As Jeff Apruzzese said in the Aquarian, “we could just hear the crowd singing that line, ‘let your love grow tall,’ back with us and it just feels like an anthem in a way.” It is an anthem.
The story of Rubin Carter is one that is extremely significant in terms of race relations in the United States. Trust Bob Dylan to turn that story of struggle and unfair treatment into a work of lyrical genius. Nicknamed “Hurricane,” Carter was an African American boxer falsely imprisoned for years for a triple murder in which he played no part, yet his race was enough to put him behind bars. Over the sounds of the guitar so synonymous with Dylan’s sound, his unmistakable voice protests and tells the story of Hurricane’s struggle.
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Viola Davis makes history with powerful speech JASMINE IMANI DAVIS Entertainment Editor Last weekend, actress Viola Davis made history for being the first black woman to win an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Annalise Keating in the outstanding and very popular drama, “How To Get Away With Murder,” (HTGAWM). After actor Adrien Brody called Davis’ (50) name as the winner, with shock and excitement, Davis kissed her husband, hugged her fellow nominee Taraji P. Henson and walked on stage with euphoric applause filling the Microsoft Theater in Downtown Los Angeles. She gazed into the crowd with appreciation and began her emotional and powerful speech: “‘In my mind, I see a line. And over that line, I see green fields and lovely flowers and beautiful, white women with their arms stretched out to me over that line, but I can’t seem to get there no how. I can’t seem to get over that line.’ “That was Harriet Tubman in the 1800s. And let me tell you something,
the only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity. You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there.” She thanked the writers of HTGAWM for being “people who have redefined what it means to be beautiful, to be sexy, to be a leading woman, to be black.” The support after her heartwarming acceptance speech was endless with standing ovations, tears and love on social media; but, as always, someone has to sprinkle their negativity on something good. “General Hospital’s” Nancy Lee Grahn took to Twitter to express how she wasn’t a fan of Davis’ speech. “I wish I loved #ViolaDavis Speech,” wrote 57-year-old Grahn. “But, I thought she should have let @shondarhimes write it.” She continues with the tweet, which has since been deleted: “Im a f--king actress for 40 yrs. None of us get respect or opportunity we deserve. Emmys not venue 4 racial opportunity. ALL women belittled.” She also responded to a fan by tweeting: “I think she’s the bees knees but
she’s elite of TV performers. Brilliant as she is. She has never been discriminated against.” After her tweets, of course, the Internet wasn’t having it. With all of the repercussions Grahn received, she couldn’t take it anymore and tried to apologize the same way she attacked Davis, via Twitter. “I never mean to diminish her accomplishment. I wish I could get her roles. She is a goddess. I want equality 4 ALL women, not just actors,” she wrote. Grahn also followed up with a link to a longer apology about how she needs “to check my own privilege” and that she didn’t mean to “take this historic and important moment from Viola Davis or other women of color.” “I admit that there are still some things I don’t understand,” she said. “But I am trying to and will let this be a learning experience for me.” Thankfully, the good feedback outweighed the bad and great things were said about Davis and her speech, even by fellow nominee, Taraji P. Henson. “I think the universe is happy,” Henson told Ellen DeGeneres on her show on Tuesday. “Viola deserved that reward,
and, honestly, I would have felt weird if I had gotten it over her. She’s been doing it longer and you just have to give respect and know when your time is.”
PHOTO/TOMANDLORENZO.COM
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“Scream Queens” makes a comical debut
ARIANNA PINTADO Contributing Writer
If you love popular cult classics such as “Heathers,” “Mean Girls” or “Carrie,” then you’ll be crazy about the new hit T.V. show “Scream Queens” that premiered Sept. 22. At first, it seemed like another knock-off horror drama show, but it surprised its audience by actually being quite humorous. The show takes place at a sorority, Kappa Kappa Tau, that is run by a blonde-headed, black-hearted girl named Chanel No 1. (Emma Roberts). She is forced by the University’s Dean Munsch (Jamie Lee Curtis) to accept all students despite what they look like. This upsets Chanel, but little does she know that it’s not her biggest issue. They are facing a killer that disguises itself as a devil that is slowly killing his way through the sorority sisters. The pilot started off with a flashback to the sorority house in 1995, where one of the sisters just had a baby in the bathtub. Too interested in singing along to their favorite song, “Waterfalls” by TLC, the girls ignored helping their fellow sister. When they returned, the girl had bled to death and that’s when the curse began.
ABHISHEK JOSHI Staff Writer
Along with its witty story line, “Scream Queens” has a very diverse cast. This cast includes the original minions Chanel No 3. (Billie Lourd), Chanel No. 5 (Abigail Breslin), a “Deaf Taylor Swift” named Tiffany (Whitney Meyer), the “Neck-braced Hester” (Lea Michele), the “Predatory Lez” (Jeanna Han), a “Candle Blogger Weirdo” Jennifer (Breezy Eslin) and we can’t forget about the feisty pledges Zayday (Keke Palmer) and Grace (Skyler Samuels). T.V. is finally breaking the stereotypical blonde bimbo sorority girls for some average Janes with issues we all face. Even though the characters were being made fun of throughout the show, it did bring up a topic that has a strong connection to America: bullying. The show even highlights those moments and we can’t help but be affected and have empathy towards the outcasts. However, the show isn’t completely heartless. There was some acceptance when mean girl Chanel No 1. accepted gay hottie Boone (Nick Jonas) into the sorority. Even if it was for publicity, we still like to see the silver lining. This moment was like a breath of fresh air to teens by portraying acceptance for someone different.
The show wasn’t totally depressing though, it had humor that didn’t have the audience laughing because it was funny, but because it was idiotic. It was filled with moments that had the viewer tilting their head and saying “Really?” One specific funny moment was when Ariana Grande’s character was tweeting for help while being attacked. She had just finished her tweet and anticipation rose as she was about to press send when the killer stabbed her to death… or so we thought. With that last breath of air, Ariana’s character jolted up, pressed send, then died… again. Another moment that had me “ROT-
FL” was Lea Michele’s character’s speech on how to get rid of the body. I’ll admit it was a tad creepy that she knew all that information about the disposal of a body, but it was hilarious and oddly satisfying. I guess it’s safe to say that “Scream Queens” might not be for everyone. Its sadistic humor and bloody storyline may be too much for the faint of heart. It over exaggerates the teenagers of this generation and it shows a dark side of humanity. In the end, I think it’s a great show; the brutality of it is something we need as an audience. I do warn you, though, there is a lot of screaming.
“Scream Queens” advertisement poster
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“Empire” roars in season two premiere
New York City’s favorite musical family is back with a bang and the episode lived up to its title, “The Devils Are Here.” The Lyon’s are taking over the city and the season premiere of “Empire” has everyone begging for more. “Empire” takes off literally where it left off with a few more added dimensions and layers. Luscious Lyon, played by Terrence
Howard, is now in prison and this has made him look even more dangerous. You know what they say, “Orange is the new black” after all. While his ex-wife, Cookie, played by Taraji P. Henson, is doing her best to keep everyone happy and under control, she, too, has her own ambitions that she will not easily let go. A few of the surprises began early into the premiere episode, which included a number of cameos during the opening scene of “Free Luscious” including CNN anchor Don Lemon and Rev. Al Sharpton. What stole the show was the introduction of Marisa Tomei, who plays the mean investor, Mimi Whiteman. The show had some great lines that showed the power of the Lyon’s with an honorable shout out to Bill Clinton by Cookie, who says, “He [Bill Clinton] needs to be here if he wants his wife to get elected.” Just when we thought we couldn’t get enough of the drama, Chris Rock steps out of a prison bus playing Frank Gathers, the drug lord, looking like he means business. He goes on by displaying his presence and power by sending Cookie a small gift from prison (hint: He put alot of thought into the gift).
PHOTO/IBTIMES.COM
Taraji P. Henson (left) and Terrence Howard (right) in season 2 premiere of “Empire”
Gathers’ reign of power in prison is not for long. Luscious is there and no matter how much he hates Cookie, he will not stand anyone threatening her. Because of this, he decides to take care of Gathers by turning his men against him. With the new rollercoaster of events aside, the flavor of this drink is pretty much the same as the last one. Andre (Trai Byers) has his own personal battle going on while Hakeem (Bryshere Yazshawn “Yazz” Gray) and Jamal (Jussie Smollett) battle their differences with and a part from each other. It is amazing how the family is held together only by Luscious (and the Empire). The balance of humor,
mystery and deceit just adds more spice to the dish. Although, I do wish the pace of the episode and the event’s unfolding were slowed down a notch. If I was to be 100% honest, everything happened so quickly that I was left with a bunch of questions—though this was only the first episode. I agree with the fact that the premiere episode is the foundation of the season that is to come, but in a span of 60 minutes, I saw a ride that went uphill and rolled down at the speed of light. Also, as much as I hate being left with a cliffhanger, “Empire” has me hooked to it and I cannot wait for the next episode.
Following up on “Grey’s” Everyone loves a “Scandal” AKELAH ADAMS Contributing Writer In this month’s season premieres, we had romance, suspense and a lot of drama. Let’s start off with “Grey’s Anatomy.” The main arc of this episode happens with two girls named Jess and Aliyah, who tried to commit suicide with each other. This episode is rife with tension. The mother of Jess is controlling and a total manipulator, who is trying to
send her daughter to a religious straight camp because she’s not okay with her daughter being gay. Of course, this makes Torres become emotionally attached. Meanwhile, the father of Aliyah is panicking because they don’t know whether or not she’s going to make it. Does everything end well for these people? Along with the main arc, Bailey is trying to beat this woman, Tracey McConnell, for the position of chief of staff while Arizona is trying to find someone to live with. While McConnell is doing a great job of looking amazing to the board, Bailey becomes discouraged. Does she follow through in trying to become chief of staff? Or does she stop trying altogether because she thinks she’s better at surgery? Arizona, in the meantime, has a personal crisis: why does no one want to live with her? Is she that unbearable that everyone wants to avoid her? After a heartto-heart with Stephanie, she discovers that there are a lot of reasons why everyone does avoid her. Not to mention, something happens with Jackson, but you’re going to have to watch next Thursday at 8 p.m. on ABC to find out more.
AKELAH ADAMS Contributing Writer In this season’s premiere of “Scandal,” we come full circle from last season’s finale. Olivia and Fitz are in their own world of laughter and happiness.They get ready for a wedding party that the White House is hosting for the newly married Prince Richard and Princess Emily of Caledonia. But, why are they hosting this party? Is it to be nice or is it for a military base, as Sally Langston suggests? As the party draws to a close, the Princess and Olivia have a nice chat about “becoming a spectacle to the country.” As the evening draws to a close, horror strikes: the princess is found dead in a fatal car accident. The family is distraught, hiring
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Olivia to collect the photos. However, after close assessment, Quinn suggests foul play: that the accident was fixed. Could it be foul play? And, what’s happening between Quinn and Huck? Olivia offers to bring him in, but she refuses. Did Huck tell her what happened or not? Meanwhile, Mellie is doing all she can to repent for what happened last season, but Fitz hits her with a curveball: he wants a divorce! Mellie can’t have this, so she tries to get Cyrus to help her out in his first appearance this episode, but does he? Or does he let her crash and burn? And, speaking of curveballs, before the episode ends, viewers are hit with a final curveball of epic proportions that sends everyone reeling. In order for you to truly understand what you missed, you definitely need to watch
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Fans were outraged over Patrick Dempsey’s death on Grey’s past
All’s fair in love and “murder”
CHYNA DAVIS Contributing Writer
Shonda Rhimes never fails to entertain. This well known screenwriter, director and producer delivered a “jaw-dropping,” “awe inducing” first episode for this season’s “How to Get Away With Murder.” Emmy Award winning actress, Viola Davis, performs at her best yet again as Annalise Keating. Expect a new level of romance and murder this season. If Wes’ sudden bold change in character wasn’t surprising enough, during Keating’s lecture in the
first few minutes of the show, the following revelation of Annalise’s past relationship with former model, and actress Famke Janssen’s character, Eve, might. Connor and Oliver aren’t the only LGBT couple getting attention this season. Viewers hope to find out if Annalise is really in love with her or if Eve will be used as another “accessory” for the trial. This season, we may see a newer side of Mrs. Keating. Meanwhile, her cherished “Keating 5” are still on edge. They remain fearful, frantic, overwhelmed and panicked. After Nate’s new threat to “take [Annalise] down with [him]” the college students have every reason to be. Last season, Frank murdered Lila and her unborn child for Mr. Keating. Bonnie had no prior engagements in the chaos until her current, deliberate murder of Rebecca. More ties into the murder originate from the Keating household. What else do they have to hide? At the end of the show, they released a revelation of what is to be expected in the upcoming episodes. A bloody, sprawledout Annalise and an adrenaline-filled Wes drives the entire fan base crazy. Who is trying to kill Annalise and why? Is Wes next? Rhimes certainly has our attention! Can’t wait to find out more next Thursday at 10 p.m.
TORCHPHOTO/JONATHAN MANARANG
“Scandal” cast photoshoot for season four.
Fall T.V. schedule The Muppets Tuesday at 8 p.m. on ABC
Rosewood Wednesday at 8 p.m. on FOX Empire Wednesday at 9 p.m. on FOX Black-ish Wednesday at 9:30 on ABC Grey’s Anatomy Thursday at 8 p.m. on ABC Heroes Reborn Thursday at 8 p.m. on NBC Scandal Thursday at 9 p.m. on ABC The Blacklist Thursday at 9 p.m. on NBC How to Get Away With Murder Thursday at 10 p.m. on ABC
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“The Green Inferno” serves college students for lunch
MICHAEL AMBROSINO Contributing Writer
“The Green Inferno” confidently attempts to be quite a few things: a stimulating adventure, a commentary on social activism, a twistedly disturbing movie about a tribe of flesh-hungry cannibals and a comedy of sorts. While it fails at none of those things, “The Green Inferno” only sporadically succeeds at all of them, which sums up to be a fairly good viewing experience that will almost certainly turn your stomach. The film’s central character is Justine
JENNY CHEN Co-Editor-in-Chief
(played by Lorenza Izzo), who joins a filmmaker stepped into “The Green Inferno” with hefty ambitions and a desire group of seemingly ticked off college to crawl the extra mile to make the expestudent activists. They are ambitious to save the South American rainforest and rience feel as real and dangerous as possible, which I admire tremendously. Yes, the tribe of indigenous men, women he took his cast and crew out to the acand children who live within it from a tual Peruvian Amazon and went deeper massive corporation looking to tear it down. Justine and the group of students than any film crew ever dared to go. Yes, they encountered venture off to the a real indigenous Peruvian Amazon tribe who endand ultimately prevail, suspended up playing the cannibalistic ing the company’s “The Green Inferno” is no film’s villagers. Yes, they destructive work beauty, but it’s ambitious and dealt with horriand posting it all on social media for insane enough to enjoy with fying conditions and came inconthe world to see. a large group of friends. ceivably close to On their plane ride developing severe back home, the sicknesses. If that students have fun isn’t guerilla filmcelebrating their making at its most accomplishments extreme, I don’t until all goes know what is. But, straight to hell-– it was all for the love of cinema. the plane crashes, the villagers turn out Eli Roth does a fine job devoting to be cannibalistic and the remaining time in the first act toward developing survivors, including Justine, become a his characters and establishing the plot. family-style brunch. “The Green Inferno” is directed by Eli It’s good to know a small thing or two Roth, whose filmography includes “Cab- about the youngsters who are about to be in Fever” and “Hostel,” two well-crafted slaughtered and eaten, especially Justine’s and gloriously brutal horror flicks which character, who is charming and also has I happen to enjoy pretty thoroughly. The an innocence that is easy to connect with.
The filmmaker also pokes fun at social activists who care less about the actual problem and more about looking like they care; kids who only get involved in these organizations to better their personal image. That is the case with the kids in “The Green Inferno,” and Eli Roth has a lot of fun brutalizing them and turning them into filet mignon. However, the plane crash sequence is noticeably low budget, which may bother some viewers who are used to seeing $150-million CGI-feats. But, it effectively kicks things off with relentless suspense, as the students are held captive by the very tribe they set out to save. After a sequence of cannibalism that is absolutely terrifying and more disturbing than anything I’ve witnessed in cinema for some time, the film loses its tension, and it becomes less of a horror film and more of a downbeat adventure story. It’s a bit disappointing, considering that the first grisly sequence created such high standards gor it to be a film of sheer terror and brutality and then seeing it only sustain that horror in bits and pieces to follow. “The Green Inferno” is no beauty, but it’s ambitious and insane enough to enjoy with a large group of friends. If you like a social commentary with blood, guts, body parts and killer ants, “The Green Inferno” manages to deliver the goods... For the most part.
“The Iron Giant” makes a comeback
“Go big or go home” is taken to a whole new level by film director Brad Bird and his 1999 directorial debut, “The Iron Giant.” The movie became an “in-
stant classic,” as critiqued by Joe Morgenstern of the Wall Street Journal and claimed nine Annie Awards. Bird has gone on to create more family favorites such as “The Incredibles” and “Ratatouille;” however, Hogarth and his friend, the Giant, have remained close to our hearts. From the company that brings you heroic icons such as Batman and Superman, Warner Bros. will be releasing an entirely re-mastered version of “The Iron Giant,” with two completely new scenes this fall. Based on the book “The Iron Man” by Ted Hughes, the movie takes place in small town Rockwell, Maine observing the paycheck-to-paycheck life of single mother Annie Hughes ( Jennifer Aniston) and her son, Hogarth (Eli Marienthal), who stands headstrong and valiant at nine years old. Hogarth, like all wideeyed children, wants a friend, and the answer to that is a pet. Before he gets a chance to show his mother the potential pet squirrel he found, it runs away. What
Hogarth finds instead a couple days later is a 50-foot giant friend (Vin Diesel) who retains no memories of his origin. Set during the political unease of October 1957, “The Iron Giant” tackles several political issues in this animated movie including the atomic bomb, the Cold War and the iron curtain. Could Hogarth’s “Iron Giant” be America’s iron curtain? On Oct. 4, just days before the Giant comes crashing onto Earth, Russia had launched the first manmade satellite, Sputnik, into orbit. As relations with the Soviets continued to operate on thinner and thinner ice, the Giant’s arrival served only to heighten growing paranoia. Rumors and tall tales begin to spread about strange occurrences around town— chomps of metal missing from tractors, buildings, etc. When government agent Kent Mansley (Christopher McDonald), whose ‘mansley’ness is questionable at best, arrives on the scene, the ease of small-town life evaporates. Tensions
skyrocket for everyone involved, including Hogarth’s cool and collected beatnik friend Dean McCoppin (Harry Connick, Jr.) who hides the Giant in his metal junkyard. The army is called to town, “the Bomb” is summoned and the future of Rockwell and the Giant is questioned. Ultimately, humanity is found in none other than the suit of iron that is the Giant. He is man. He is super-man. After all, “you are who you choose to be.” “The Iron Giant” is a testament to the fact that animated films are not just for children. The two new scenes added to the original flick provide some insight on the Giant’s origin. You will just have to find out more when you go to check out the Fathom Events screening of “The Iron Giant: Signature Edition” today, Sept. 30. It is only out in select theaters across North America, but if you miss it, there will be an encore screening on the 58th anniversary of Sputnik’s launch, Sunday, Oct. 4.
Awaken your senses with “Spring Awakening”
DIANA COLAPIETRO Photo Editor
Close your eyes for 10 seconds. Welcome back. In those brief moments, maybe without even realizing it, your four other senses intensified. Perhaps you became aware of how this paper feels in your hands, maybe you just noticed your gum lost its flavor or possibly you are rolling your eyes at a conversation unfolding nearby. According to an article from Scientific American, “the study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, shows people who are born deaf use areas of the brain typically devoted to processing sound to instead process touch and vision.” When we disengage one of our senses, the others are amplified. This spellbinding revival of “Spring Awakening,” based on Frank Wedekind’s 1891 play, features American Sign Lan-
guage fully integrated into the English performance by both deaf and hearing cast members. Deaf West Theater’s production premiered in Los Angeles in 2014. After receiving critical acclaim, it was announced in July that the show would come to Broadway this fall. With previews of the show starting on Sept. 8, it will open on Sunday, Sept. 27 and is currently set to close Jan. 24 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre in Manhattan. The Broadway debut of “Spring Awakening” successfully ran from 2006 to 2009 with 859 performances. The cast, starring Lea Michele and Jonathon Groff, earned eight Tony Awards in 2007, included among them, Best Musical, Best Original Score, Best Choreography and Best Lighting Design. It is a powerful coming-of-age story set in Germany in the late 1800s. The musical follows the journeys of Melchior Gabor (Autin P. McKenzie), Wendla Bergmann (Sandra Mae Frank and Katie Boeck) and Moritz Stiefel (Daniel Durant and Alex Boniello), as these adolescents navigate the often unruly waters of growing into themselves and their relationships with their peers. The Deaf West Theater company consists of both deaf and hearing actors. Two notable characters, Wendla and Moritz, are double casted on stage. The primary actors are deaf and sign the dialogue while their hearing counterparts speak the script, sing the lyrics and pro-
vide subtle visual cues. The speaking actors are so thoughtfully woven into the choreography that the audience can understand how the characters sometimes interact with their inner selves. It is no coincidence that “Spring Awakening” heavily revolves around communication (or lack thereof ) between friends, romantic partners, parents and teachers. Under the direction of Michael Arden with music by Duncan Sheik, lyrics by Steven Sater and choreography by Spencer Liff, the actors convey the compelling evolution of these characters and the ultimate human desires for love and communication. In a video by Buzzfeed documenting the story of this scintillating production, Artistic Director DJ Kurs said, “Music is not an art form that is typically available to the deaf community so in this production we’re not just bringing sign language to hearing people, we’re bringing musicals into the deaf community as well.” This musical is nothing short of a sensory overload. The way the actors sign the entire script and how the lighting manages to command the audience’s attention is overwhelmingly beautiful. The signing directly correlates to the overarching themes of the music, lyrics and dialogue with gentle motions for softer songs and more dramatic gestures during intense scenes. Not only does this revival of “Spring Awakening” extend beyond the typical
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theater experience, it also holds a place in Broadway history. Ali Stroker (Anna) makes her debut as the first person in a wheelchair ever on Broadway. The 28-year-old actress was paralyzed from the chest down after a car accident when she was just two years old. Now, as stated in the show’s playbill, Ali believes that “any limitation can be an opportunity.” Today, there are about 500,000 people using ASL (American Sign Language) in the United States. It is the third most taught language in schools and universities across the country. Through the emotionally charged script and the ASL translation of it, the production is a revolutionary experience for theatergoers. For most human beings, our five senses are constantly engaged during our waking hours. As one of these humans, it is hard to understand what it is like to be deprived of any senses on a daily basis (without wearing an eye mask or noise-cancelling headphones). “Spring Awakening” transcends the senses. It exceeds what we think we may know about body language and visual production. Deaf and hearing members of both the cast and audience experience this rock musical with their entire being. The signing and lighting makes just as much of an impact as the music does. Not everyone in the theater may be able to hear, but it is certain that every single person feels something when the story touches his or her heart.
Open mic night with Java Johnnies A n o p p o r t u n i t y t o u n v e i l S J U ’s u n k n o w n t a l e n t s
KENNISA RAGLAND
Contributing Writer
Much too often, talent is hidden in the crevices of the St. John’s community. However, on Friday, Sept. 25, some of this talent was brought to light. Every Friday in the D’Angelo Center’s living room, the Resident Student Association (RSA) hosts what they call Java Johnnies. It’s a time of fellowship, where students can come enjoy free coffee, donuts and entertainment. They swipe in with their StormCard, grab a cup of java accompanied by a donut and rush to sit with their friends.
Students come to witness, at no cost to them, artists like Reverb Nation’s Katie Stump. This last Java Johnnies differed from the previous ones as, this time, it was the audience itself that provided the entertainment. On the last Friday of every month, Java Johnnies opens the stage to anyone who wants to take advantage of it during open mic night. From 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., students watch as their classmates hypnotize with poetry, croon with song or enchant with musical instruments. RSA treasurer junior Kevin Edwards said a lot of the time people are “afraid to get on stage.” But, in spite of that, the
PHOTO/ST. JOHN’S CAMPUS ACTIVITIES
Java Johnnies includes musical, spoken word and stand-up performances from SJU’s community.
sign-up list was long enough to fill up the two-hour time slot. It was so long that some people were unable to perform: so much talent and so little time. Performing can be nerve-wracking, especially in a setting as intimate as Java Johnnies, but that didn’t stop freshman Nick Kuo from strumming his guitar and singing a cover of Vance Joy’s “Riptide.” There was only enough room for about fifty people, but Kuo said it “felt the same as 1,000.” As he sang and played, he was able to capture the audience’s attention and affection. The relationship he formed with the crowd paid off when he forgot the words to the song, then laughed with them as he substitute part of the lyrics with “I just forgot the words.” Junior Nina Merkur said she felt silly when dancing to her energy-filled lyrics and music, but continued on doing what she knows best. Merkur is a member of the band My Own Confusion, where she performs all around Queens. After performing a few of her original songs, her newly acquired fans crowded around her expressing their enjoyment of the set. With a smile, she said that the situation provided her a sense of “validation.” Closing out the show, junior Kevante Williams possessed strong stage presence when he delivered a poem that had everyone snapping in appreciation throughout his performance. He shared
PHOTO/FLICKR COMMONS
a part of himself with the audience as he recited the piece titled “If We Were a Love Song.” Java Johnnies gave him and many others a platform to showcase their talent. The weekly event is more than just a platform for the courageous to go and speak to a crowd. Java Johnnies is, as Williams said, a place where “the creative community can express themselves and share their art.”
Special for Latin Heritage Month “What is a Latino?”
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LPiU Sorority hosts event to raise Latin culture awareness
LIVIA PAULA
Features Editor We live in a very diverse country, and in one of the most diverse cities in the world. As a St. John’s University member, for example, you are part of the 11th most diverse school in the United States, according to the Best Colleges list of 2015. Yet, you still find yourself surrounded by various stereotypical ideas. On Monday, Sept. 28, the St. John’s University chapter of the Lambda Pi Upsilon Sorority, Inc. (LPiU) hosted their annual “What is a Latino?” event, where they discuss stereotypes found in the Latin American culture and clarify terms that many people get confused with, such as what it means to be considered Hispanic, Spanish and Latino. This is one of the various events around SJU held during the Latin Heritage Month. According to President of the LPiU chapter at SJU senior Natasha Santana, events like this are important to educate people on what it means to be a Latino. Every year, there’s a topic behind the event, either about the Latin American history or even about what the word Latino means. Santana is from the Bronx, but her nationality is Dominican. She said that one of the best parts of joining LPiU was learning more about the Latin American culture. “People always ask ‘Where are you from?’
but you don’t really know what that means,” Santana said. “You don’t know about their history or what those people have been through to get to where they are today. So, I got to learn a lot about what it means and it actually gives me, personally, a better sense of pride.” In this year’s “What is a Latino?” the attendees watched a couple of videos that showed how the Latino stereotype is portrayed in the media in movies, TV shows, news, stand up comedy, etc. Definitions of terms and current events issues in the Latin American community were also crucial parts of the presentation. During the presentation, Santana expanded on a few of these stereotypes, such as how Latinas are usually seen as maids, women with many children or the sexy, dumb character on TV shows. Latinos, for example, are those responsible for manual labor or usually associated with criminal activities. Both Latin American men and women are often seen as uneducated and people often assume that Latinos living in the United States don’t have the proper documentation. In the trivia portion of the event, those in attendance had a chance to answer the questions, allowing them a chance to test their own knowledge of the Latin American stereotypes, myths and so on. Seniors Reyna Fallin and Corinna Santos said that like is a great event to raise Latin
American awareness. “Being a member of the Latin American Student Organization (L.A.S.O.) I came out for support first and foremost,” Santos said. “And, second of all, just the title in itself is was drew me in and I wanted to see what kind of educational point of views the presentation was going to have,” she said. Santos is of Brazilian decent. Fallin said events like these are crucial for those who are unaware of the diversity around them. “I think a lot of people don’t know about other cultures,” she said. “A lot of people come to New York from different states, small cities. They don’t really know that this is the melting pot.” Fallin comes from a very diverse background herself; her mom is Black and her dad is Puerto Rican, Panamanian, Haitian and Guamanian. Santos said when people are part of a diverse community, they are often categorized based on their backgrounds. “I think that if people were educated on what exactly those categories are it would make them feel more a part of it [the community],” Santos said. “And, to know that, it is not necessarily being discriminatory, but it’s just a way to educate each other.”
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ILLUSTRATION/LIVIA PAULA/FEATURES EDITOR
A taste of Peru: Pio Pio review
LAUREN EDEN
Staff Writer
It was a cloudy afternoon on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and I needed something to brighten my day. I immediately knew the answer: food. I didn’t have a place in mind, so I decided to play it by ear and see what I could find. I stumbled upon a restaurant called Pio Pio. While checking out the menu posted outside, a fellow diner exited the doors and said to me, “Eat here! You won’t regret it.” Whoever this woman was, I would like to thank her for persuading me to eat at this Peruvian restaurant. It provided me with one of the most delicious lunches imaginable. After reading over the menu, I was torn between two contenders. The first was “Picante de Camarones,” or shrimp sautéed in garlic, onions and white wine and topped with a spicy cream sauce, served over spinach and goat cheese-stuffed quinoa cake. The other was “Arroz Chaufa,” or Peruvian-style fried rice made with chicken, egg, bean sprout, green onion and soy sauce. I figured the waiter would be able to
steer me in the right direction, so I asked him which dish I should go with. “Get the rotisserie chicken,” he replied. Although the chicken wasn’t something I was initially considering, I agreed to try it. Specifically, I ended up ordering the “Peruvian Combo,” which came with half of a chicken, fries and avocado salad. I asked the waiter if I could substitute the fries for rice and beans and he kindly complied. When my food arrived, I immediately noticed how large the portions were but I was happy to be dining solo. I don’t consider myself to be a selfish person, but when it comes to food, I am worse than a 5-year-old with a brand new toy. I don’t like to share. In addition to the woman who advised me to eat at this restaurant, I would also like to thank the waiter for recommending this insanely good chicken. It was cooked to perfection: the skin crispy and full of flavor and the meat ever so juicy. The pinto beans with yellow rice and the avocado salad were the icing on top of an already flawless cake. I cannot conclude writing about my experience without mentioning their green chili sauce. It represents everything that is right with this world. I wanted to drink it through a straw, but feared judgment. In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month happening between Sept. 15 and Oct. 15, check out Pio Pio.
TORCH PHOTO/LAUREN EDEN
Pio Pio’s “Peruvian Combo.”
There are four locations in Manhattan: one in Brooklyn, one in the Bronx and, lucky for us at St. John’s, two in Queens, with the original location being on Woodhaven Boulevard in Rego Park. It would be wise to check the menu online because the menu items vary by location. Some of the dishes may seem pricey,
but they can easily be split as long as you aren’t a selfish eater like me. If you choose to eat at the Rego Park location between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, you can get the lunch special, which consists of a quarter of a chicken, your choice of a side and a beverage for $9.50. Beware, you might get addicted.
An award-winning career center
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SJU Career Ser vices recognized for outstanding programs
PHOTO/JONI O’HAGAN
Career Services information table at the NACE Annual Innovation Showcase Awards Ceremony.
JOANNE CORRIELUS
Staff Writer
You are in Taffner Field House, dressed to impress, with your résumé in your hands with the hope of securing your dream job. You’re filled with great excitement and nerves as you walk to one of the many tables where recruiters are eagerly waiting to speak with you. You’ve spent days practicing what you’re going to say. However, the real preparation and planning occurred months ago in the offices of the many hard-working individuals at St. John’s University’s Office of Career Services. This past summer, the Office of Career Services added two awards to their own résumé when they received the Diversity Inclusion Excellence Award and the Members’ Choice Award at the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ Annual Innovation Showcase Awards Ceremony. The awards were based on two categories: how easily the career center levels the playing field for economically disadvantaged students and how well they create a campus-wide career community. These were not the only awards the Office of Career Services won this year. “We’ve also received awards from NASPA (National Association of Student Personnel Administrators), EACE (Eastern Association of Colleges and Employ-
“Preparing students for successful lives in the 21st century world is a top priority for our University leadership.”
-Denise Hopkins
ers) and MNYCCPOA (Metropolitan New York College Career Planning Officers Association) this past year,” Denise Hopkins, executive director of Career Services, said. These awards demonstrate how hard St. John’s works to prepare its students for the new and ever-changing workforce. “Preparing students for successful lives in the 21st century world is a top priority for our University leadership,” Ms. Hopkins said. “The University has placed a great deal of emphasis on ensuring that St. John’s students are internship and job ready and that our students are receiving the best possible career services,” she said. The Office of Career Services is always improving and Ms. Hopkins believes that it will continue to do so. “Over the past few years, the careers office has evolved rapidly to expand our services to reach students in every major and many more employers in more diverse fields,” she said. “This intense focus on career preparation extends beyond the Career Services department because we know it takes an entire campus to prepare students for life post-college,” Ms. Hopkins added. She believes that the St. John’s career services stands out. “The single most important distinguishing element is the quality and scope of our staff,” Ms. Hopkins said. “St. John’s students receive cutting-edge support from University Career Services. We provide access to the best on-line resources, sponsor hundreds of top quality programs and events on-and-off campus each year and, most importantly, have a team of outstanding career professionals dedicated to helping our students discern the career path that is right for them and launch successfully into the competitive internship and job market.” Ms. Hopkins also said that the office of Career Services works closely with various members of the St. John’s community. “We’ve worked collaboratively with faculty, chairpersons, deans, administrators, alumni and employers to shift our culture away from just a career center
Career Services representatives receiving the award.
offering a few programs and services, towards the creation of a vibrant Career Community in which faculty, administrators and alumni feel some ownership over students’ career success, with career services professionals in the center serving as connectors and orchestrators of opportunity,” she said. Not only has career services partnered with administration, faculty and alumni in order to strengthen the career development of students, but it has also collaborated with students in a program called Career Peers. Career peers are students who are trained to assist other students with their cover letters, résumé, job and internship searches and much more. “National research we conducted here at St. John’s points to the growing influence of peers on students’ decision-making,” Ms. Hopkins said. “Students often seek out other students for advice on careers. We established the Career Peers program to arm students with the information they need so that other students are getting the right advice and in order to serve an increased volume of students,” she said. Ms. Hopkins added that having students be the “face” of the Career Services office makes students feel less intimidated when seeking help. Not only has Career Peers been beneficial to the students who come into Career Services for help, but it has also been beneficial to those students in the Career Peers program. “My favorite thing about being a career peer is actually the training,” junior Shanyse Clark said. “While I’m learning to teach other people things and preparing other people, I’m actually becoming more prepared myself,” she said. “As a career peer, I hope to gain a voice within the student body and among my peers at St. John’s,” Clark added. “This experience has been teaching me a lot, like how some students are uninformed or scared to just come into the office,” she said.
PHOTO/JONI O’HAGAN
“This experience has been teaching me a lot, like how some students are uninformed or scared to just come into the office.”
-Shanyse Clark
Clark also said, “The Career Peers program is a door to help students have a voice as well as to help them to be comfortable to come to students for advice who are just like them and are in the same position.” Although Career Services has made many strides in the last couple of years, Ms. Hopkins hopes that it will continue to grow in the years to come. “We will need to continually adapt to the ever-changing needs of the global economy and the changing needs of our students,” Ms. Hopkins said. “While the core purpose of our office will remain the same, I hope that how we go about fulfilling that purpose evolves as rapidly as the work world that our students are entering,” she said.
The Career Services office is located at the Chiang Ching Kuo (CCK) Hall. Hours: Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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Sports
Volleyball splits opening weekend of Big East play KEISHA RAYMOND Staff Writer
St. John’s volleyball team started the Big East season with a road win against Butler in five sets (15-25, 25-23, 22-25, 15-7) at the Hinkle Field House in Indianapolis on Friday. With the score tied at 6-6 in the fifth and final set, the Red Storm recorded the final nine points to get the win against Butler. The Red Storm are now 11-5 (1-0 in Big East) and the Bulldogs are 4-10 (1-1 Big East). Margherita Bianchin had a huge game with 14 kills (.345) and 13 digs, which was good for her third double-double of the season. Senior outside hitter Karin Palgutova once again had a superb game with 26 kills (match-high), .293 hitting clip, 13 digs and five blocks. It was Palgutova’s eighth double-double. Both Delaney D’Amore and Melissa Chin accumulated double-double digs. D’Amore had 13 digs and Chin had 11 digs. D’Amore, Palgutova and Bianchin were tied for the team-high digs. Senior setter Deniz Mutlugil led the of-
fense with a team-high 47 assists, six digs and two blocks. Julia Cast tallied six kills and four blocks and Danisha Moss registered four kills and six blocks. Freshman Pelin Aroguz had an excellent game with eight kills, three digs and three blocks. “Tonight’s match was another fantastic and gutsy performance from our team,” head coach Joanne Persico said. “I’m proud of the way our girls gave it their all, as they do each and every time they step on the court, to win another five set thriller on the road.” Looking for their second straight win in Big East play, the St. John’s volleyball team fell short to Xavier in five sets 3-2 (25-17, 25-20, 22-25, 22-25, 13-15) at the Cintas Center on Saturday. The Xavier Musketeers overcame a 2-0 Red Storm despite a great game by Mutlugil and Bianchin. Mutlugil had an outstanding game with 57 assists and 16 digs for her fourth double-double of the year and Bianchin finished with 17 kills (.326 hitting percentage) and has recorded 10 or more kills in the past two games. Palgutova continued her strong play and finished with a team-high 19 kills, .214 hitting clip and nine digs.
Once again, Palgutova received the Big East Weekly Award for the fourth time this season. For the week, Palgutova had 5.05 point per set and 4.50 kills per set. It was the 10th time that Palgutova was on the Big East Weekly Honor Roll.
The Red Storm Big East home opener and next game will be on Friday, Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. against last year’s Big East champion Creighton (8-7, 2-0 Big East). The home opener will be St. John’s eighth Dig for a Cure match.
PHOTO/ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
Margherita Bianchin had an impressive match against Butler with 14 kills and 13 digs.
Karin Palgutova: Flourishing in the Big Apple CARMINE CARCIERI Staff Writer
Transition and change is never easy. But when it comes to St. John’s volleyball player Karin Palgutova, the move from Bratislava, Slovakia to the Big Apple has created tremendous success both on and off the court. “It was very tough being away from my home country and family, but I am a tougher, more self-sufficient person than I was during my freshman year,” Palgutova said. “I have become much more independent as I have learned to do most things without the help of my parents.” But, the senior would not be where she is today without the help of her family, in particular, her father who was a volleyball coach and taught her about the sport at an early age. “He would always bring me to practice and teach me how the game works and how to play,” she said. “I was nine-yearsold when I joined my first club team and it was a great experience.” The development of her game continued throughout high school where she was a four-year letterwinner as a member of Gymnazium Bilikova and also won the Slovakian national championship. She continued to play club volleyball throughout her time in Europe and, when it came time to choose an American college, Palgutova received a strong recommendation from her head coach about St. John’s. “I heard about the school from conver-
sations with my club coach, but I honestly had no idea where I was going and how St. John’s looked,” the outside hitter said. “I did not come for my official visit, so I only saw the school from pictures.” “I felt like it was ultimately the right place for me to get an education and play volleyball.” In her first three years on campus, Palgutova earned three first team All-Big East honors and the senior ranks third all-time in kills, fifth all-time in attacks and eighth all-time in service aces. She has received multiple honorable mentions and already has played 98 matches and 352 sets in her St. John’s career. While those individual accolades are tremendous honors, one achievement Palgutova has yet to come across is the chance to play on the biggest stage: the NCAA Tournament. “Since my freshman year, I have been to the Big East Championship only once and we lost our only match to Louisville,” she said. “I would like to make it to the NCAA Tournament in my last season because I’m expecting it to be a special year.” The 6’2” senior wants to go out on a high note, not with records and awards, but she wants to be the best teammate that she can possibly be before potentially turning professional after graduation. “I want to make my last couple of months here at St. John’s as enjoyable as possible,” Palgutova said. “I want (my teammates) to get better every day because without them and my coaches, I would not get any of the awards that I have received.”
PHOTO/ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
Karin Palgutova has played in an impressive 98 matches and 352 sets in her St. John’s career.
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Dribble for the Cure raises record-breaking $100k
University community comes out in fight against pediatric cancer
WILSON SY Staff Writer
The St. John’s men’s and women’s basketball teams joined forces Saturday morning, Sept. 28 with the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation (PCRF) for the fifthannual St. John’s Dribble for the Cure. The event welcomed several hundred members of the SJU community and both programs helped raised a record breaking $100,000. In unity with University Service Day, the Dribble for the Cure fundraiser increased to over $255,000, since it was first held on campus in 2011. The event continues to give back to Dr. Mitchell S. Cairo, chief of Pediatric Hematology at New York Medical College, which focuses on improving patients’ long term quality of life and the survival rate of children battling cancer. Dr. Cairo was also pleased to announce that the survival rate of children affected by cancer has risen from 20% to over 80% since PCRF was established in 1982. “This is a wonderful event that brings everyone together for children’s cancer research,” St.John’s new men’s basketball head coach Chris Mullin said. “Cancer affects everybody at some point. I lost both my parents to cancer and my brother is battling cancer right now. It’s a disease I hate and I’ll do anything to get rid of it. To bring people together for a common cause and to do it
here with Coach Carnesecca and Mr. Kaiser is very special.” Coach Mullin would acknowledge the crowd and recognize a pair of prestigious guests in St. John’s legends Lou Carnessca and Jack Kaiser, both of whom had a tremendous impact on his decision to return home. Mullin would then address a pair of retired NBA All-Stars in former Knicks great Larry Johnson and Hall of Famer/ex teammate from the Golden State Warriors Mitch Richmond. Lastly, Mullin invited four pediatric cancer survivors to the stage to help him kick-off the event. The players would get together with the cancer survivors and dribble around campus from the outside of Carnesecca, up the hills to DAC, straight ahead into the dormitory area, up to the Great Lawn and back. Players from both programs enjoyed a great time and reflected on Dribble for the Cure. “Giving back is always special,” said junior transfer guard Durand Johnson. “The kids come out and want to have fun, meet the players and enjoy the day. It’s always good for me to give back and help out in some type of way, no matter if it was signing autographs or just playing basketball with the kids, having fun and enjoying a good time. That is what it’s all about.” “The most rewarding feeling is just seeing the kids smiling,” said senior guard Danejah Grant. “Letting them know that we care
about them and that it’s not just about us and that this day is for them to smile. It shows that we can come together as a unit.
Put everything else aside and we make sure that the kids come first today and it just benefits the entire University.”
PHOTO/ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
Men’s basketball head coach Chris Mullin introduces pediatric cancer survivors at the fifth annual Dribble for the Cure.
Strong defense, goalkeeping power Red Storm
Young Johnnies beginning to find their way as Big East play begins
TROY MAURIELLO Staff Writer
The St. John’s men’s soccer team may finally be finding their groove this season heading into Big East play. The Red Storm kicked off conference play with a matchup against the Marquette Golden Eagles on Saturday night at Belson Stadium. St. John’s goalkeeper Jordan Stagmiller was active early as Marquette controlled the game’s first few minutes. He hauled in two saves after a pair of Marquette chances in the 9th minute, and also made an impressive save on a free kick in the 27th minute. The Johnnies were held without a shot for the game’s first 36 minutes, however their first and only shot of the half was a golden scoring opportunity. Freshman midfielder Lucas Fagotti was able to put his defender on skates as he swerved into the box and fired a shot that thundered off the right post, keeping the game scoreless. Things got going early in the second half, as Marquette appeared to break through for the game’s first goal in the 48th minute. However, a line judge ruled them offsides, negating the goal and preserving the tie. After a shaky first half, the Red Storm picked up their play as the second half went on. Senior midfielder Luis Esteves had a shot saved after a nice pass in the
66th minute, and three minutes later, the Red Storm narrowly missed scoring on a Marquette own goal. Time began to run out in regulation of a scoreless game, but each team would have a spectacular chance to score a victory. Stagmiller made a fantastic save in the 87th minute, and Esteves just missed a free kick in the 90th minute, sending the scoreless game into overtime. The two teams traded blows in each of the two overtime periods, but neither of them could break through. The game ended in a scoreless draw. “We are lucky enough to have a second season,” Stagmiller said, regarding conference play. “We’re trying to get towards the top six in the Big East, and onwards to the Big East Tournament.” After a two straight ties, the Johnnies closed out their extended eight-game home stand with their final non-conference matchup of the regular season against Central Connecticut State. St. John’s was shut out for 110 minutes on Saturday night; however, their offense got going early on Tuesday. In just the 10th minute of the game, sophomore midfielder Adrian Welch delivered a beautiful pass to freshman forward Mike Prosuk, who tapped in the easy goal to make it 1-0 Red Storm. The Johnnies were back at it 16 minutes later, and for the first time this season they scored multiple goals in a game. Welch continued his impressive night, as he struck a ball into the box that deflected
off a defender for an own goal to make it 2-0. Jordan Stagmiller and the Red Storm defense were solid once again, and Luis Esteves added an insurance goal in the final minute of play as St. John’s recorded their second straight shutout in a 3-0 victory.
“It’s great to get the ball in the back of the net,” Coach Masur said. “We finally got to the end line tonight, and we scored some goals.” Now at 2-6-2 on the season, the Johnnies will travel to Seton Hall for their next game on Saturday.
TORCH PHOTO/MEGHAN DARREFF
Lucas Fagotti and his teammates finshed off non-conference play strong as the defeated Central Connecticut 3-0 on Tuesday night at Belson Stadium.
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Red Storm cruise to victory, Daly ties goals record
STEPHEN ZITOLO Sports Editor
The British invaded Belson Stadium yet again on Sunday night. St. John’s senior forward Rachel Daly and freshman forward Lucy Whipp, both from across the pond, provided all of the scoring for the second straight game as the Red Storm defeated the Pirates 3-0 in the Big East opener against Seton Hall. The win gave No. 19 St. John’s a 9-1 record to start the season, its best start in program history. “It’s interesting because it’s a little bit of a double-edged sword,” St. John’s head coach Ian Stone said. “Obviously we’re very happy that we’ve done the right things in preseason. We’ve done the right things in recruiting, and we’ve got a lot of depth now. And, obviously, I’m going to do the same amount of work whether we win or lose, so the actual winning part of it is satisfying. But, the other part of it is, once you see how talented the team is, you want to make sure they go as far as they can. So, we have to make sure we keep our foot on the gas and we keep preparing as well as we have for the next game.” Daly’s performance on Sunday was one for the record books, literally, as the senior forward scored twice on the night to tie the St. John’s all-time goal scoring record of 40 career goals. Daly’s first goal in the 26th minute was set up as sophomore forward Shea Connors charged toward the 18-yard box, finding junior midfielder/forward Morgan Tinari streaking to the right side of the Pirates goalie. Tinari let off a rocketing cross towards the net and Daly, seemingly coming out of nowhere, dove and headed the ball into the net for her eighth goal of the season and 39th of her career. The record-tying and ninth goal of the season for Daly came in the 60th minute as she bolted down the middle of the field past Seton Hall’s defense and received a perfect pass from Connors before letting off a booming strike from just inside the box and found the
back of the net past the outstretched Seton Hall keeper. “I don’t ever want to tie something; I always want to break it,” Daly said. “To be honest, it doesn’t mean anything until I break it. Honestly, the numbers don’t really matter to me. We won with a great team effort again. Making a name for myself is great. But, at the end of the day, as long as I can help the team win that’s my main goal.” “It’s amazing, especially considering that she’s done it in three years,” Stone said. “But, I think there’s so much more to her now than just being a goal scorer. She’s making players around her better. She’s assisting on goals now. She’s just that player that is always making sure our standards are high every day in practice.” In the 58th minute, Whipp would record her second career goal as she put on an absolute display of athleticism. As she received the ball in the box, she let off a strike, while falling down, that ricocheted off the left post. Whip would then get up and get her own defection and put it home. The defensive effort by the Red Storm was nothing short of spectacular. The Pirates were only able to get off three shots the whole night, none of which were on goal, and struggled to even advance the ball past midfield during stretches of the game. “Defense is a team effort, it comes from the front,” senior defender and Big East Defensive Player of the Week selection Georgia Kearney-Perry said. “Rachel and the forwards do a great job of it through to the midfield and then we just sweep up at the end. The keepers keep us relaxed and that gives the keepers as little work as possible.” The Red Storm coaching staff is yet to make a firm decision on who the starting goal keeper is going to be. However it’s a decision they cannot go wrong with, as both graduate student Katie DeVault and junior Diana Poulin have been outstanding all season long. “There are lots of thoughts going on about the goalkeeping situation,” Stone said. “I think it might depend upon the opponent we are playing. Marquette comes in next Sunday. They are big, tall, and good in
the air. That may play into one’s hands more than the other, but I’m not mentioning any names. I really honestly don’t know and I love the fact they are both good. But, I’m going to do whatever that game requires. Katie’s distribution is phenomenal and Diana
brings more organization in the second half when the girls may be getting a little tired.” The Red Storm will next take the field on Thursday as they head to Indianapolis to face Butler to try and continue the historic run they are on.
PHOTO/ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
Rachel Daly has blown past the competition recently, scoring two goals in three straight games, en route to tying the St. John’s all-time goal record of 40 career goals. The record was previously held by Adriana Viola.
TORCH PHOTO EDITOR/DIANA COLAPIETRO
Lucy Whipp and her teammates celebrating her second career goal.
Young Johnnies beginning to find their way REZA MORENO Staff Writer
The St. John’s women’s tennis traveled to Rhode Island this past weekend where they came out with an overall record of 18-16 in both singles and doubles play at the Brown Invitational. There were six Division 1 teams all together at the invite including Brown, UMass, Rutgers, Harvard, Stony Brook and Boston University. “I’m happy with how we competed this weekend,” head coach Lauren Leo said. “The tournament presented a good opportunity for solid competition and I think our team definitely benefited from this level of competition.” Sophomore Jaide Collins dominated her second finals appearance of the season with a smooth 3-0 victory in the Black Draw against Farris Cunningham from Rutgers (6-1, 6-1). Along with Collins, sophomore Stephanie Elegren made it to the finals in the singles draw. Unfortunately, Elgegren was in the lead 2-0 before Yana Nikolaeva from Stony
Brook defeated her in the Red Draw finals, which were 6-2, 6-4. Elgegren also made it into second place with freshman Delia Arranz in the Bruno Doubles Draw. On Saturday, they were both 2-0 before falling to Harvard’s players (8-6). The girls finished with a 3-1 record after they achieved a victory in a consolation match on Sunday. Freshamn Olaya Inclan Solis did well her for her first collegiate season and took third place in the Crimson Draw, going 2-1 throughout the weekend. Sophomore Anna Morozova and freshman Irina Preotescu both came in fourth place in the Brown and Maroon Draws. Throughout the weekend, the Red Storm got 13-9 in singles play and 5-7 in doubles play. With the team being relatively young and inexperienced, the girls are learning the college game together on the fly and will surely have their growing pains as the year progresses. But, with experience, they will mature and have a bright future to look forward to. The Red Storm will travel to Pennsylvania on Friday, Oct. 2 for the UPenn Invite.
PHOTO/ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
The St. John’s women’s tennis team competed at the Brown Invitational this weekend.
THEY’RE KEEPERS 23
Poulin and DeVault leading Johnnies to new heights
BRANDON MAUK
Digital Sports Manager
While some would call it a goalie controversey, St. John’s head coach Ian Stone believes it is a blessing to have the luck of coaching two gifted athletes such as Diana Poulin and Katie DeVault. Stone knew that he needed insurance in net with his star keeper Poulin on the shelf for much of this past spring, so he added another accomplished collegiate netminder in the graduate transfer DeVault. Poulin was named to the All-Big East First team and was awarded Big East Goalkeeper of the Year last season after posting a 1.07 goals against average and nine shutouts in 20 games. However, it has taken her time to return to that form this year because she spent most of the offseason off the pitch after undergoing surgery on her wrist. “It’s been tough, because obviously I’ve been out of the game for a while and I haven’t been back and playing on the field or anything,” Poulin said. “I’ve just been taking it day by day, trying to improve little by little to get back to how I was playing last season.” Luckily, Poulin has been able to form an excellent combination with DeVault, and they have helped the Red Storm get off to their best start in the program’s history. DeVault arrived at St. John’s after a successful three-year run as the starting keeper at Fresno State. There she started 57 of 60 appearances and recorded a 1.36 goals against average with a save percentage of .803. In her junior season, she recorded a 0.91 goals against average and eight victories for the Bulldogs. “When I came here, I knew who I was competing with and what was going on,” DeValt said. “I was able to come in the spring and kind of be a different goalkeeper. We play two different styles. I’m big with distribution at my feet. I think that in practice and in games, we’re pushing each other, because she can teach me a lot and I hope I’m teaching her a lot as well.” With Poulin needing time to return to her usual high level of play, DeVault has stepped in and has been a helping hand in a 9-1 start and No. 19 ranking (Soccer America) for St. John’s. In 315 minutes, she has allowed zero goals and has recorded six wins. “I’m having a lot of fun here. It’s a different team, different mentality, that’s for sure,” DeVault said. “But the goal is still the same, zeros on the board and that’s all we can be happy with.” Overall, St. John’s has been abso-
Goalies Katie DeVault (left) and Diana Poulin (right) have anchored St. John’s to their best start in program history
lutely impossible to score on. The team has allowed just four goals all year, and Poulin and DeVault have combined for seven shutouts. Rather than deal with a full-blown goalie controversy, Stone has instead used the two as a deadly 1-2 punch in each half of their matches. DeVault has started six games for the Red Storm and has played the entire first half each time with Poulin finishing the victory in the second half. “Their organization is really good, their distribution is really good,” Stone said. “I just want to take it practice by practice, game by game, and obviously we’ve done pretty well with it.” Of course, the wrist has not been an issue for Poulin recently, as she has allowed just four goals in over 585 total minutes this season. Both keepers view the situation as a healthy challenge, and the two goalkeepers live to push and make each other better with every practice and every game. “It’s been good, I like competitiveness,” Poulin said. “Katie’s an amazing goalie, so it’s great to have someone working with me, to help push me a little bit more, and everyday I get out there and, me and her, we’re really good together, but we push each other to our next level. So I think it’s great [coach Stone] has pulled her in and it’s definitely helped me try to get to my best and I’ve been trying to help her get to her best as well.” Their contrasting styles of play have helped their teammates improve their level of play with each game. DeVault has controlled the pace with her ball distribution using her feet, and Poulin regularly brings the intensity and drives possession of the ball to keep her teammates focused in the important closing minutes of each win. Those styles of play have meshed well with the rest of the team, as they got off to this hot start to the season on four consecutive 1-0 victories. That’s only a testament to how the team has come together and has kept their focus. “We’re just such a close-knit team,” Poulin said. “We’ve just got to stay together and push through and day-by-day, game-by-game and practice-by-practice improving together.” The excellent play from both girls has not made this an easy decision for Stone, so he decided to approach each particular game in Big East play by judging how well their styles match up with their opponents. “There are lots of thoughts going on about the goalkeeping situation,” Stone said. “I honestly really don’t know. I love the fact that both of them are good, so I’m going to do what that particular game requires.” To be frank, he couldn’t go wrong either way, and this less-than-conventional approach to the situation may be just what the team needs to exceed expectations and really put together a special year.
PHOTOS/ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
Diana Poulin (left) and Katie DeVault (right) differ in their styles of play, but have both dominated in goal for the Red Storm this season.
SPORTS September 30, 2015 | VOLUME 93, ISSUE 06 |
TORCHONLINE.COM
FIFTH ANNUAL ST. JOHN’S
DRIBBLE FOR THE CURE T
his past Saturday morning the St. John’s community came out in bundles in support of the fifth annual Dribble for the Cure as part of University Service Day. The event reached new heights as both the men’s and women’s basketball teams joined hands to raise a fundraising record of $100,000 for the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation. Women’s basketball star Danejah Grant summoned up the best part of the day by saying, “My favorite memory is seeing the smiles on the kid’s faces when you come out and interact with them. It’s a great feeling to give the survivors a special day to come out and enjoy the atmosphere.”
Read about on page 21.